The “Feed Verified” program features a real-time listing of approved feed products and ingredients by name in addition to the verification or certification program each product is approved for use in.
“A critical aspect of verifying certain livestock production practices is knowing, tracking and confirming what an animal eats,” John Saunders, chairman and CEO of Where Food Comes From, Inc., said. “It may sound simple, but you have to take a step back and think about the complexity of what we are looking at.”
Saunders explained that five years ago consumers mostly were concerned about animal by-products. Today, antibiotics, GMOs and growth promotants, among other things, have joined the list of food-related issues that matter to consumers.
“… but the reality is that feed is emerging as the new risk in value-added livestock production,” Saunders said. “It only takes the tiniest of ingredients to disqualify an entire generation of animals from a specific verification program, even when everything else is done exactly right.”
The Feed Verified program includes 14 newly approved products from leading industry brands. The listing is species-neutral and includes hyperlinks to individual product websites.
“We want to do everything in our power to enable farmers and ranchers to be transparent about how they are producing food, and Feed Verified is another tool to help them succeed in that endeavor,” Saunders concluded.
