Brands - Identifying Those Striving To Be Better

There is an ever increasing disparity between pet food standards in the US vs Canada. To the surprise of many globally who think of Canada as such a bureaucratized and rules abiding country, Canada is unfortunately the “Wild West” when it comes to pet food regulations and practices. While the US has strengthened its regulation of pet food, from production through to labeling, there has been no similar advancement in Canada. The FPFA exists to help align pet food practices to be more consistent across North America, which includes bringing more stringent regulatory standards to brands and manufacturers across Canada.

The FPFA seeks to do this by creating a simple set of criteria to assess a fresh pet food brand’s adherence to important quality, food safety and transparent marketing processes. The criteria together determine a score to identify those brands that meet the FPFA standards, who then earn the “FPFA Approved” status. Above this basic “FPFA Approved” process is the much more stringent FPFA Certified Human Grade status, which is the complete adherence to all aspects of the Canadian equivalents of all stringent AAFCO Human Grade standards in the US.

The goal of the FPFA is to help better identify and differentiate pet food brands who are investing in higher product quality, food safety and overall consumer transparency.

Our Two Standards:

  1. FPFA Certified Human Grade - meets all stringent requirements of the AAFCO Human Grade Standards to harmonize the term “Human Grade” across Canada and the US (meet FPFA Approved)

  2. FPFA Approved - has met the criteria adherence standards for FPFA approval

FPFA Certified Human Grade for Canada (AAFCO Equivalency)

One of the mandates of the FPFA is to be the AAFCO equivalent for Canada as it pertains to adhering to a policy regulating the term “human grade” for pet food across Canada. We have established the “FPFA Certified Human Grade” certification program which fully applies the AAFCO Human Grade Standards across the equivalent federal human food laws in Canada.

Human Grade Standards Requirements

Section 1 – Ingredient Documentation

  • Supplier Letters of Guarantee or statements confirming each ingredient is fit for human consumption.

  • Certificates of Analysis (COAs) or other lab reports (as applicable).

  • Purchase records/invoices showing ingredients were sourced from human food suppliers (not feed-grade).

  • Ingredient spec sheets confirming compliance with human food standards.

Section 2 – Facility Documentation

  • Copy of facility license/certification as a human food facility (Safe Food for Canadians Licence FOR PRODUCTION (not import or export) or provincial licence like OMAFA or relevant regulator).

  • For U.S. sales: proof of FDA registration as a human food facility and as a feed facility.

  • Most recent inspection report (OMAFRA, CFIA, or FDA if applicable).

  • Facility HACCP or Food Safety Plan (including areas/rooms dedicated to human food production).

Section 3 – Manufacturing & Handling Procedures

  • Written SOPs showing human grade status is maintained during:

    • Receiving raw materials

    • Storage

    • Processing/cooking

    • Packaging

    • Distribution & transport

  • Batch records / production logs showing compliance with 21 CFR Part 117 standards / Canadian SFCR and

  • Proof that the final product is ready-to-eat before it is designated pet food.

Section 4 – Distribution & Transportation

  • Shipping records showing the product was transported in conditions suitable for human food (e.g., clean, temperature-controlled).

  • Warehouse storage records confirming compliance with human food handling standards.

Section 5 – Labeling Compliance

  • Final product labels showing:

    • Clear intended use (e.g., Human Grade Dog Food).

    • “Human grade” not used in the ingredient list.

    • Term “human grade” and intended use presented with equal prominence.

  • Copies of marketing materials (website, brochures, point-of-sale) showing correct use of “human grade.”

  • For state registration: label approval documents from feed control officials (where required).

Section 6 – Traceability & Record keeping

  • Lot coding and traceability records for each batch.

  • Ability to trace each finished product back to its human edible ingredients and suppliers.

  • Records retention policy (generally 2 years minimum).