(Media release from the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Office of Communications):
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper announced on Tuesday that the Georgia Department of Agriculture Ag Inputs Division’s Feed Program passed their Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) audit conducted by the Office of the United States Food and Drug Administration. AFRPS establishes a uniform foundation for the design and management of state programs responsible for regulating animal food. The FDA conducted its audit on November 6-7, 2023, and found that the GDA Ag Inputs Division maintained full implementation and conformance with all 11 program standards.
“Our Ag Inputs Division stands at the forefront for our region’s public health, animal welfare, and consumer safety. I take immense pride in the tireless efforts of our committed team, diligently working to safeguard consumers in Georgia,” said Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “Upholding the highest standards remains our priority at GDA as we continue to protect Georgia consumers and maintain the integrity of our food chain.”
“We’re proud to partner in the FDA’s AFRPS agreement and look forward to continuing our work together as we strive to improve and implement the deliverables in Georgia,” said Ag Inputs Division Director Bailey Whiten. “GDA’s enrollment in AFRPS gives access to additional funding to accomplish our mission of protecting Georgia consumers.”
AFRPS was released in 2011 in collaboration with state regulatory partners to establish and implement a nationally integrated, risk-based feed standards program to ensure a uniform and consistent approach to animal food regulation among jurisdictions. The AFRPS focus areas include Regulatory Foundation, Training Program, Inspection Program, Audit Program, Animal Food-Related Illness or Death Emergency Response, Compliance and Enforcement Program, Outreach Program, Program Planning and Resources, Assessment and Improvement, Laboratory Services, and Sampling Program.
GDA Ag Inputs’ Animal Feed Program was established by law in 1972. Since 2015, it has been awarded cooperative agreements from the FDA to build an AFRPS-based regulatory program and conduct contract inspections on behalf of the FDA. Since then, the Program has continued maintaining conformance as indicated in the most recent FDA Interval 4 Program Assessment. Today, our AFRPS-based Animal Food Program is a nationally recognized program of subject matter experts and award-winning field staff.
