‘BAI must have jurisdiction over feeds ingredients, vet drugs’

The Department of Agriculture and one of its attached agencies, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), should have jurisdiction over the registration, issuance of permits, inspection and testing of animal feeds and ingredients, as well as veterinary drugs and medicine, according to a feed millers’ group. In a statement on Wednesday, the Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. said the impasse on whether the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) should take over these functions is of great concern, as it puts at risk the animal industry’s response to the Asian swine flu and avian influenza that threaten the country’s poultry and hog population. It also said that, while it has high regard for the FDA’s capability to oversee food and health products for human consumption, it felt it was best to allow BAI’s veterinarians and animal nutritionists to have jurisdiction over products for animal consumption.

Source: TheManila Times