FDA looks to improve access to medicated feed data for industry

It has now collated data on medicated feed, licensed medicated feed mills, Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) distributors and Blue Bird Labels in one place​​.

Blue Bird labels are proposed labels for Type B and Type C medicated feeds, generated when a new animal drug application is made, the agency said. “Blue Bird labels are created by Type A medicated article sponsors and function as a guide to manufacturers of medicated animal feeds in the preparation of final printed feed labels,”​ the agency added.

“Posting the Blue Bird labels with their corresponding new animal drug applications puts that information in one place rather than having to search for the Blue Bird label on FDA.gov and the new animal drug application information on Animal Drugs @ FDA,”​ an FDA spokesperson told us.

The lists of licensed medicated feed mills and VFD distributors sortable and searchable, which are features that have been requested by industry, she said.

Although data was previously available, publication on the new site makes the data “more accessible, user-friendly, and centrally located,”​ continued the spokesperson.

The action falls under the FDA’s five-year plan to “foster stewardship”​ of antimicrobial products used with livestock or in a veterinary setting, she added.