The Importance of USA Sourcing and Processing

By choosing pet foods made with meats from transparent, reputable sources, you're not just protecting your pet from immediate health risks but also contributing to a more ethical and environmentally sound food chain.  A broader range of discussion is farther below under separate Topic Headings.

 

RUFUS BFF sources all its ingredients from The USA, with the lone exception of Smelt used to produce Smelt Fishies Snackers, which are sourced from the cold clear waters of the Canadian Northwest, Northeast and Canadian Great Lakes. These Smelt are then processed in the U.S.A. Canada is considered to have regulatory structures in place that equal those of the U.S. 

All RUFUS BFF Beast Treats are Single-Ingredient.  Nothing else.  There are no added ingredients such as salt, sugars, fillers, chemicals, hormones, antibiotics or preservatives.

By using meat from trusted suppliers, we ensure that every Beast Treat meets strict quality standards. This means your BFF can enjoy treats free from harmful contaminants and additives, giving you peace of mind knowing you are giving them the best.

 

Our products are identified with the USA being Country of Origin (and Canada, see above) on all packaging, advertising and marketing materials.  Our commitment to safety starts with sourcing.

All Rufus BFF products are not only sourced from the USA (and the lone Canadian exception, mentioned above), but are also processed in the USA as well.  The oversight of processing facilities in the USA is equally rigorous as that of source-meat production.

Additionally, all materials used in our final product packaging are, wherever possible, also USA-sourced. 

• Our bags and labels (including printer facilities) are produced in the USA.
• Our shipping boxes are 70% USA made. Occasionally our supplier may source from other countries when the supplier is pressed for inventory that faces a temporary shortfall at USA manufacturing facilities.
• Our “butcher paper” wrapping and packing papers are made right here in the U.S.
• Oxygen packettes used in RUFS BFF packaging are made here in the USA from US-made materials.
• Our hemp and jute twines for wrapping can have sources from Indonesia, Malaysia, China and some European countries. USA production of these twines is scarce and sporadic.
• Glass shaker jars for Rabbit Crunchies Meal Toppers are sourced from China, and our source for glass regularly and routinely inspects for irregularities in glass production (such as lead content). Shaker caps and seals for Crunchies are USA-sourced.

 

Why USA Sourced and Processed Meat is Important

For food products, The USA (as well as individual states) has a well-established rigorous set of regulations that is singularly focused on safety, purity and transparency. 

Unfortunately, that cannot be said for many other countries.  There are many reasons for this, from lack of enforcement funding resources to simple differences in societal perceptions of the importance of such regulatory oversight. An absence or laxity of such oversight means there's no guarantee that pet food produced there meets satisfactory safety standards for consumption. Issues from contaminated food to misleading labeling are well-documented, such as products claiming to contain beef or chicken only containing traces of the designated meat. 

Contaminants are also a major concern. A striking example of this is the infamous 2007 melamine scandal, where toxic melamine was added to pet food, leading to the deaths of many pets worldwide. This incident wasn't an isolated case and it is a stark reminder of the risks associated with lax oversight.

Meats from disreputable sources also are susceptible to containing harmful or undesired additives (such as dyes, fillers, unnecessary sugar and salt), artificial hormones, residues of banned antibiotics or pesticides, or even heavy metals (such as lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium and arsenic).  Many of these impurities can cause long-term and serious health issues in pets, from kidney failure to cancers.

 

Global Sourcing?  

“Made in the USA?”. . . or, not so much?

The discussion, above, is not to disparage all non-USA sources of pet food supply chains, as there are, indeed, many countries that have established laws and regulations that can rival those of the USA; instead, it is a cautionary consideration for you to confirm that the country of origin of all food products you procure should be easily and obviously identified on the packaging.

Also, be aware of the wording of sourcing for your BFF’s food and Treats.  A common misleading tactic is to label a product as “Made in the USA from Global Sources” or something similar.  The phrase “Made in the USA” or “Made in USA” is a legal promotion that is monitored by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under its Enforcement Policy and Made in USA Labeling Rule. The FTC’s advisory page on this issue can be visited by clicking this link.

 The FTC's Made in USA Labeling Rule defines "Made in USA" as a product that is made in the United States with all or virtually all its significant parts, labor, and processing. The rule applies to all labels, including those on product packaging and online. The FTC's goal is to prevent unfairness and deception in the marketplace. Marketers who use an unqualified "Made in USA" label on a product that is not "all or virtually all" made in the United States can be subject to civil penalties. 

As mentioned above, some purveyors attempt to circumvent the spirit of this requirement by touting  “Made in the USA from Global Components”  (or similar phrasing). This is technically not a breach of the FTC’s mandate, but it is an implication, either through deliberation or negligence, that the product satisfies the criteria for the “Made in USA” designation, when in fact, it does not.

So, the bottom line is to be wary of any product that does not explicitly state, or omits any mention of, its country of origin.

 

Regulatory Concerns for The Food Supply Chain:

The food supply chain is just that – a series of discrete operations, linked together, one by one, that form a unified procedure that ultimately leads to products being made available for you to purchase.  Supply chains are incredibly complex, but the following is a simplified overview of the major steps that comprise the supply chain for pet foods.

• Land, Feed Stock and Facilities where livestock are raised, and the conditions under which the husbandry is curated.
• Pollutants and contaminants are a fact of life, and any farming operation that does not routinely and diligently test its land, water and handling operations to ensure its purity and safety for livestock farming is to be distrusted.
• Another broad topic, Feed Stock Sourcing, Storage and Handling, is a crucial part of animal husbandry. 

• Sourcing of Feed Stock, for example involves where the feed comes from: are reliable reputable sources being used that have been monitored with regulatory oversight for banned substances or contaminants? If foraging is used for feeding, is the land, and forage itself, monitored for pesticide or other environmental contaminants?  
• Feed Stock Storage concerns where and under what conditions feed stocks are kept. Are storage areas controlled for heat and humidity (mold and other microbial concerns), insect infestation and environmental contaminants or pollutants? 
• Are Feeding Procedures monitored to prevent contamination when moving from storage to the livestock for consumption?
• Farming Environment.  What are the conditions under which livestock are raised?
• Rufus BFF does not operate farms or raise animals ourselves, but we believe we have the responsibility to do our part to promote humane treatment of animals.  Accordingly, we source our products from some of the country's best farms that raise and process their livestock here in the U.S.  In addition to adhering to the highest standards of purity and safety, the farms that are the source of our products implement policies of humane treatment of their livestock, striving to ensure that animals are not subjected to: pain, injury, distress, fear, malnutrition or discomfort.  Livestock is raised in areas and under circumstances and conditions that reflect, to the maximum amount practicable, those that nature intended for them.
• Processing Facilities. Handling is the most important area of concern for the actual processing of livestock meat: Handling involves:  
  • Sanitary procedures / practices and protocols for cleanliness of facilities, equipment, tools and utensils of processing.
  • Sanitation protocols for workers, their garments and hygiene.
  • Sanitary environments for final packaging and shipment of processed meats.

Environmental and Sustainability Concerns:

Finally, beyond health, the sourcing of meat from some countries raises concerns of environmental impact and sustainable farming practices.  Some countries do not meet the standards of The USA and its peers regarding environmental and sustainability concerns.  Here, again, knowing the sourcing is important for your being able to asses these issues.

In the U.S, environmental and sustainability practices are moderated, monitored and regulated primarily by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA). Additionally, each State also has its own regulatory procedures in place that mimic or exceed those of the U.S agencies.

From farm to you, RUFUS BFF supplies you with Beast Treats that are unsurpassed in quality, safety and purity, while adhering to considerations for environmental, ethical and sustainability concerns. We source from farmers and processors who share our values for pet food production.  Also, by keeping our operations within the USA, we are supporting local economies and jobs.  We hope you see things the same way.