New West Genetics announces $10,000 donation to the Hemp Feed Coalition to gain FDA-CVM approval by the end of the year and challenges other industry leaders to show their “hemp love” by matching donations!
With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and legalization of hemp across the United States; the recognition of hemp as food for animals and humans by the FDA is necessary to keep farmers growing and ensure that the market for hemp pet and animal products can continue to flourish. Surprisingly, hemp is not a recognized feed additive for animals leaving it in a strange grey area of illegality even as the Pet industry expects hemp and CBD products to be a billion-dollar industry by 2022.
The Hemp Feed Coalition was formed in 2018 to bring clarity to the status of hemp in animal feed. The Coalition is a multilateral effort involving businesses, regulators and nonprofit organizations from across the United States and Canada working together to get hemp approved as animal feed by the FDA-CVM. In 2018 Friends of Hemp a 501(c)3 and the Colorado Chapter of the Hemp Industries Association formed the coalition. “The HFC is the first concerted effort to engage multiple stakeholders, not just those of us in the hemp industry. Because of these diverse collaborators, it is primed for success.” says Wendy Mosher President & CEO of New West Genetics.
The completion of a Feed Additive Petition requires nutritional analysis, the development of new laboratory protocols for food safety and clinical trials to show that it is safe for animal consumption. This process must be repeated for each ingredient type: hemp seed oil, hemp seed flour, meal and cake AND then must be approved for each species before the FDA-CVM will consider it an approved feed ingredient.
The FDA-CVM has indicated it is enthusiastic to approve the group’s first FAP for hemp seed oil for dogs and cats by the end of the year. A huge win, worthy of celebration. But, the effort to get additional ingredients and species approved will still take years and require collaborative resources – both financial and intellectual. Described by Wendy as a big ask.
“We will not achieve scale in this industry without comprehensive federal approval of use in feed, so that large operations can feel comfortable even dipping their toes in. The benefits of achieving approval are tremendous – advancing sustainable agriculture in the US, the easing of international trade barriers, improving the health of our animals and our food. Numerous families and businesses in the supply chain of our industry will prosper once this is accomplished.”
While the FDA-CVM is supportive of pushing hemp seed oil through the process quickly, it is still technically illegal as a feed ingredient and your favorite pet products could disappear from shelves overnight. We know that animals are benefitting from these products and that there is a market, but there is also a need to go through the process of approval so that the products are safe and nutritional information is validated. The goal of the HFC is to gain this approval so farmers, pet suppliers and pet owners can continue to legally produce and use hemp products to benefit their pet’s wellness. “But if everyone says someone else will do it, nothing will get done. We are proud to support an effort that benefits the whole industry, and we encourage all other stakeholders to step-up and participate with us.” For Wendy it is about “healthier animals, thus healthier food for my kids, and a healthier rotation crop for farmers.”
For information or to donate visit: www.HempFeedCoalition.org.