policy
Food safety
The AVMA supports appropriate educational, legislative, and regulatory measures to assure that foods of animal origin are safe and wholesome. AVMA…
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The importance of veterinarians in food safety
The AVMA recommends that the USDA's Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service take three actions to enhance the recruiting and retention of…
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Safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and genetically engineered (GE) food
The AVMA believes mandatory labeling of GMOs and GE foods or food products is not necessary.
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Education and training in food safety, security and defense for veterinary medical professional and paraprofessional students
The AVMA recommends that state and federal entities develop and expand training programs for veterinary students in the area of food safety,…
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Technologies for pathogen mitigation in food processing
The AVMA supports the use of pathogen reduction processes, such as pasteurization, irradiation, high pressure processing, and other science-based…
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Organic foods
Food producers should be encouraged to provide medically necessary therapy, including antimicrobials, under a veterinarian’s direction, regardless of…
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Truthful and nonmisleading human food labeling
The AVMA supports truthful and non-misleading labeling of animal-derived human food products that meets specific criteria.
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Marketing claims regarding agricultural animal food products
Understand when the AVMA believes a veterinarian should be involved in processes and practices that underlie marketing claims for animal-derived food…
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Approval and availability of antimicrobials for use in food-producing animals
The availability and effectiveness of antimicrobials, including medically important antimicrobials, are important to support the health and welfare of…
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UNDER REVIEWRelocation of pets for adoption
Careful planning is needed to ensure animal welfare, animal/human safety, and avoid disease spread when dogs and cats are transported for purposes of…
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Raw milk
The AVMA supports laws requiring pasteurization of fluid nonhuman mammalian milk intended for direct sale or distribution to consumers and opposes…
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Livestock identification and animal traceability
Permanent, unique identification of animals and premises is essential for tracing origin and destination of livestock to protect the nation’s…
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Companion animal care guidelines
View general guidelines for the care and humane treatment of animals in nonagricultural facilities such as shelters, pet stores, boarding kennels,…
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UNDER REVIEWGuidelines for responsible pet ownership
Owning a pet is a privilege and should result in a mutually beneficial relationship. The benefits of pet ownership come with responsibilities.
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Raw diets for dogs and cats
The AVMA discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens…
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Joint AVMA-FVE-CVMA statement on continuous monitoring of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance
The AVMA, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association endorse this statement on continuous monitoring of…
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Joint AVMA-FVE-CVMA statement on responsible and judicious use of antimicrobials
The AVMA, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association have jointly adopted this policy on responsible and…
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AAAP guidelines for judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials in poultry
The AVMA has endorsed these guidelines on judicious therapeutic antimicrobial use in poultry production, developed by the American Association of…