By Todd Kemp, Senior Vice President, Treasurer At the culmination of a 10-year process and after several false starts, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Jan. 14 published its 258-page final rule on speculative position limits in the Federal Register. The CFTC approved the final rule last year on Oct. 15, completing one of the last unfinished pieces of regulatory business to implement under the 2008 Dodd-Frank Act. The vote split along party lines, with Republican Chairman Heath Tarbert and Commissioners Brian Quintenz and Dawn Stump in favor; and Democratic ... Read More
Subject-focused News
FDA seeks comment on approach for defining durations of use for certain antimicrobial drugs for food animals
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President, Feed The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Jan. 8 published a concept paper to obtain input from stakeholders on a potential framework for how animal drug sponsors could voluntarily make changes to the approved conditions of use for certain medically important animal antimicrobial drugs to establish a defined duration of use for those indications that currently lack a defined duration of use. The concept paper focuses on medically important animal antimicrobial drugs – drugs important in human medicine – administered through ... Read More
NGFA urges California Department of Public Health to adopt pertinent pet food model regulations
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President, Feed NGFA joined with the California Grain and Feed Association, Pet Food Institute, American Feed Industry Association and North American Renderers Association to submit a statement on Dec. 31 to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding potential amendments to California’s processed pet food regulations. CDPH on Dec. 1 provided a 30-day notice of informal stakeholder engagement that invited interested parties to submit comments related to amending its existing processed pet food regulations. To facilitate comments, CDPH ... Read More
NGFA, food and ag groups, outline transportation priorities to incoming Biden administration
By Max Fisher, Vice President of Economics and Government Relations NGFA and a coalition of food and agricultural organizations on Jan. 7 sent the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden a statement outlining major transportation policies and initiatives that would enhance the efficient and cost-effective transport of agricultural and food products. The letter provided recommendations for each of the three primary freight transportation modes: motor, rail and waterborne. Motor Carrier: For motor carrier transportation, NGFA and its coalition partners said exemptions to ... Read More
NGFA’s McCluer named 2021 ‘Leader in the Field’ by Journal of Agromedicine
The Journal of Agromedicine announced Jan. 8 that it has selected Jess McCluer, NGFA’s vice president of safety and regulatory affairs, as its 2021 “Leader in the Field.” McCluer “instills agricultural safety and health across the industry by leveraging his unique blend of analytical skills, creativity and relationship management,” the Journal said in its announcement. Since March 2019, McCluer also has served as Board Chair of the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), a coalition of agricultural business leaders, producer associations, risk managers and others ... Read More
NGFA announces Michael Seyfert as new president, CEO
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 4, 2021 – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today announced that Michael J. Seyfert will become its new president and chief executive officer. Seyfert is scheduled to become NGFA’s top executive staff officer on March 1, succeeding Randy Gordon, who will retire by the end of March after serving nearly 43 years with the nation’s largest and most diverse agribusiness association – the last eight as its president and CEO. In so doing, Seyfert will become only the seventh person to serve in that capacity at NGFA since its founding in 1896. “We couldn’t be ... Read More
NGFA commends Congress for including key inland waterways, port provisions in FY 2021 spending package
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 22, 2020 – The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today commended Congress for including key inland waterways and port legislation – one of its major 2021 legislative priorities – in the fiscal 2021 omnibus spending bill approved Monday night. “An efficient waterborne transportation system is crucial for growing the American economy and maintaining and creating U.S. jobs, and is vitally important to the continuing competitiveness of U.S. agricultural exports and their positive contribution to the U.S. balance of trade,” said Bobby Frederick, NGFA’s vice ... Read More
FDA releases 2019 annual summary report on animal antimicrobials sold or distributed
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President, Feed The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) on Dec. 15 published its 2019 summary report that recaps domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals. The Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2008 (ADUFA) requires that animal drug companies annually report to FDA the amount of antimicrobial drugs they sell or distribute for use in food-producing animals. ADUFA also requires FDA to issue annual summary reports of these sales and ... Read More
FDA finalizes guidance for animal food additive petition and GRAS notice review processes
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President, Feed The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec. 10 finalized guidance to facilitate consultations between FDA and ingredient sponsors before an animal food additive petition (FAP) or a notice concluding that a substance is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for its intended use in animal food is submitted to the agency. Guidance #262, Pre-Submission Consultation Process for Animal Food Additive Petitions or Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notices, provides information about the animal FAP and GRAS notification processes and ... Read More
House passes waterways bill
The House unanimously on Dec. 7 passed a water resources bill that includes major NGFA policy priorities designed to expedite the funding of projects to rehabilitate the locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterway. The Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA) (S. 1811) amends the cost-share formula for inland waterway projects to provide that 65 percent of the funding would be derived from taxpayer revenues and 35 percent from user fees deposited in the Inland Waterway Trust Fund. Currently, the funding formula is split 50:50. The policy change would be in place for ... Read More
Lacy Holleman
National Grain and Feed Association
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