Holstein cows eat feed inside the dairy barn.

National Milk Producers Federation is calling on FDA to modernize its regulations allowing for faster approval of animal feed additives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in cattle.

“Innovative and voluntary solutions are needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including methane. In this context, our organization seeks enacted policy solutions that will help reduce methane emissions resulting from enteric fermentation in dairy cattle,” Jamie Jonker, National Milk’s chief science officer said in submitted comments to FDA.

Enteric emissions directly from cows account for roughly one-third of all GHG emissions from dairy farms and present an important area of opportunity for methane reductions. Feed composition changes can directly or indirectly reduce enteric emissions resulting from livestock, he said.

“Feed additives can significantly improve digestibility and redirect production pathways of enteric methane emissions. Some of these additives are already approved for use in the European Union, Brazil, Australia, Chile and, most recently, Canada,” he said.

Research indicates that feed additives can reduce enteric methane emissions by 30% or more. However, FDA has not approved any feed additives to meet this need. Current regulatory policy delays market approval and hinders widespread adoption in the U.S., he said.

“This means that feed additive manufacturers are bypassing the U.S. market approval process in favor of processes in other countries, which have a more streamlined approval process. This approval lag likely is also affecting U.S. research and development investments in this area,” he said.

NMPF supports efforts by FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicines to revisit how it regulates animal foods which act on/in the digestive tract with certain types of claims .

“We believe FDA-CVM has clear authority for an alternate approval process that would still ensure the efficacy and safety of feed additives while avoiding the lengthy and necessary process which animal drugs must follow,” he said.

NMPF urges the agency to prioritize consideration of those additives with climate and digestive efficiency benefits, recognizing those products whose mode of action is solely within the digestive tract of animals, he said.

“Doing so would better align U.S. policy with those of other major developed countries that currently allow for animal feed additives to decrease the environmental footprint of food production,” he said.

Streamlining approvals would also send signals to the private sector making key research and development decisions and support further innovation in this area, he said.

In 2020 the U.S. dairy industry set aggressive new environmental sustainability goals to become carbon neutral or better, optimize water usage and improve water quality by 2050, he said.

“To reach these 2050 goals, the U.S. dairy industry will need to identify technological and other advancements that can accelerate improvements, enabling nimble adaptation and focusing on technology and practices that can be scaled for maximum impact.

One of the greatest opportunities that exists for U.S. dairy farmers is their ability to provide real solutions to many of today’s biggest environmental challenges like GHG emissions. Embracing new practices and technologies is key to making America’s dairy farmers an environmental solution, he said.