Marketing claims regarding agricultural animal food products
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) believes a veterinarian should be involved in the processes and practices that underlie marketing claims for animal-derived food products when such claims are predicated on aspects of animal care and husbandry for which a veterinarian could regularly provide oversight.
The AVMA distinguishes between labeling of animal-derived human food products that abide by the AVMA’s policy on Truthful and Non-Misleading Human Food Labeling and are held to defined standards (e.g., scientific basis, certification criteria) and marketing claims made by companies in order to set their products apart from competitors.
The AVMA does not object to the general use of honest rhetorical technique as a method of developing markets for animal-derived food products, but when such marketing claims have a direct or implied basis in a process or processes within a veterinarian’s scope in animal care and husbandry, the AVMA holds that a veterinarian should be involved and have an oversight role.