Veterinary Feed Directive — Producer Paperwork

By Kristin Lewis Hawkins

When the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rules go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017, producers will be able to use drugs intended for use in or on only animal feed, and under the professional supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

The new rules will require a veterinarian’s oversight and direction, in the form of a Veterinary Feed Directive, to purchase a product that contains medically important antimicrobials that are distributed in animal food. The FDA considers any antimicrobial that is important for treating human disease as medically important. Antimicrobials used only in animals will not fall under VFD rules.
After consultation with your veterinarian of choice, and if that veterinarian has examined an animal or animals and deemed a VFD drug necessary, you will then receive approval to use the medication in the form of a written or electronic directive. A directive will include all the pertinent information regarding treatment, such as dispersal level and rate, the length of treatment time and the expiration date of the VFD.



Producers will then take the VFD order to a feed manufacturer or supplier to get the VFD feed. Producers who manufacture their own feed must have a VFD to get the medicated VFD from which to manufacture. Producers who manufacture feed for others should be aware that they are acting as a distributor and additional requirements apply. More information on manufacturing and distributing VFD feeds is available at fda.gov/safefeed.
What is on a VFD?
According to the FDA, the following information is required to be fully and accurately included on the VFD order:

• Veterinarian’s name, address, and telephone number;
• Client’s name, business or home address, and telephone number;
• Premises at which the animals specified in the VFD are located;
• Date of VFD issuance;
• Expiration date of the VFD;
• Name of the VFD drug(s);
• Species and production class of animals to be fed the VFD feed;
• Approximate number of animals to be fed the VFD feed by the expiration date of the VFD;
• Indication for which the VFD is issued; Level of VFD drug in the feed and duration of use;
• Withdrawal time, special instructions, and cautionary statements necessary for use of the drug in conformance with the approval;
• Number of reorders (refills) authorized, if permitted by the drug approval, conditional approval, or index listing;
• Statement: “Use of feed containing this veterinary feed directive (VFD) drug in a manner other than as directed on the labeling (extralabel use), is not permitted”;
• An affirmation of intent for combination VFD drugs as described in 21 CFR 558.6(b)(6); and veterinarian’s electronic or written signature.

You may also see the following optional information on the VFD:

• A more specific description of the location of the animals (for example, by site, pen, barn, stall, tank, or other descriptor the veterinarian deems appropriate);
• The approximate age range of the animals;
• The approximate weight range of the animals;
• and Any other information the veterinarian deems appropriate to identify the animals at issue.