Global Market Overview

U.S. pet food makers provide more than 25,000 jobs in facilities across the United States. and are strong economic drivers for local communities. Part of this contribution is a result of the ability to offer safe, high-quality dog and cat food to pet lovers around the world. In 2020, global exports of U.S. pet food reached approximately $1.7 billion. [1]

Creating new markets enables PFI members to keep and grow good jobs here in the United States. This is why we advocate for policies that promote free and open markets. PFI supports initiatives such as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which advances tariff-free trade. We also strongly support U.S. efforts to promote science as the basis for regulations related to food safety and animal health.

Global Partners

PFI’s members are committed to providing safe and wholesome pet food, both in the United States and abroad. In 2014, we partnered with like-minded pet food trade associations around the world to form the Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) to promote the trade of safe pet food products.

GAPFA members recognize that collaboration and shared knowledge can benefit pet food makers, pet lovers and, of course, the dogs and cats we feed. GAPFA’s members share information on product safety, nutrition and trade, all with the goal of providing consumer choice that allows pet lovers to select the most appropriate food for their cat’s or dog’s nutritional needs.

For more information on what GAPFA is doing to promote worldwide access to safe pet foods, visit their website at www.gapfa.org.

GAPFA-LogoWeb

Import Safety

As the global market opens, product safety remains a top priority. Through the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) seeks to maintain and improve the safety of imported foods, including pet foods and their ingredients. Pursuant to the FSVP final rule, importers must evaluate multiple safety factors, such as the foreign suppliers’ food safety history and any supplier providing raw or ingredient material. Verification activities can include on-site audits of facilities, sampling and testing, and a review of the supplier’s food safety records. For more information on FSMA, including its requirements for imported foods, click here.


[1] http://apps.fas.usda.gov/gats/default.aspx