David Kirkpatrick
Phone: 847-285-6782
Cell: 847-409-0519
e-mail: [email protected]

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2007

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.

— The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that more swine farms have been affected by melamine-contaminated salvage feed, raising the number of farms to eight from the previously reported five. The government agencies also announced that swine fed on the farms will not be approved for human consumption.

Officials said that pork products processed and inspected in federally licensed plants have not been found to contain melamine. And while officials said the likelihood of illness from eating contaminated pork is very low, they are controlling the movement of swine on the farms, nonetheless.

The contamination occurred when ‘salvage’ feed made from pet food byproducts was determined to contain adulterated rice protein imported from China. The rice protein, according to the FDA, was contaminated with melamine and melamine-related products. Melamine is not an approved food ingredient for animals or humans, and is used to make fertilizer and plastics.

This measure affects about 6,000 hogs, according to FSIS and FDA. Swine farms in four of the states – California, North Carolina, South Carolina and New York – have been quarantined. Farms in three other states – Kansas, Oklahoma and Utah – have agreed to place a hold on their animals until further notice.

The USDA and FDA said feed contaminated with either melamine or melamine-related compounds, including cyanuric acid, reached swine farms in each of the states. They are also investigating potential exposure to poultry in Missouri. The livestock on the affected farms will most likely be humanely euthanized and disposed of, according to officials.

Ohio, which was included on a previous list of states affected by the contaminated salvage feed, has since been removed from the list because the farm there received its food before the contaminated food made it to the area, officials said.

For more information, please visit the AVMA web site at www.avma.org.

###

The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 75,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. AVMA members are dedicated to advancing the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health and agriculture. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org to learn more about veterinary medicine and animal care and to access up-to-date information on the association’s issues, policies and activities.