NCBA Statement Regarding Feeding of Poultry Litter

The use of poultry litter as a feed ingredient is not a common practice. It is used primarily in the winter months in some regions of the country as a feed supplement for mother cows and for calves that have been weaned but are not yet big enough to move to feedlots. Although limited in use, it is a scientifically sound practice that has been used for 35 years with no evidence of animal health problems or effects on the safety of the product. NCBA will ask FDA to review the science and determine if the science supports any additional actions in regard to this feeding practice.

On Monday August 25, 1997, NBC Nightly News ran a highly misleading and inaccurate news segment on ingredients in cattle feed. The following are major NCBA concerns about that program.

• The show was biased, misleading and inaccurate.

• Dr. Neil Barnard, who was given a lot of time on-camera, is not an expert -- he is an animal rights activist and has been closely allied for many years with the radical group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

• NCBA's Executive Director of Science and Technology, Dr. James O. Reagan, was taped for at least 15 minutes by an NBC crew and provided a detailed explanation of the use of poultry litter as a feed ingredient. Yet this recognized expert appeared on the show for only a few seconds and the soundbite chosen was taken out of context.

• The show was simply wrong when it said that dog, cat and cattle remains are fed to cattle. Under a Food and Drug Administration rule, initially called for by NCBA more than a year ago and effective on August 4, nutrient supplements made from mammals such as these cannot be fed to cattle. Had Dr. Reagan been asked about this, he could have provided the facts.

• The show falsely implied that all cattle are fed processed poultry litter all their lives. The use of poultry litter as a feed ingredient is a limited feeding practice used primarily in the winter months only in some regions of the country and only for mother cows and weaned calves.

• We expect NBC to check all the facts, provide opportunity for credible experts to provide its viewers with the facts about an issue, and to present subjects in a fair and balanced way. NBC owes it to its viewers to provide all the facts on an issue in an objective manner. This show did none of these things.