Innovative FEED Act of 2025

The Innovative FEED Act of 2025 amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to create a distinct regulatory pathway for zootechnical animal food substances . These substances are added to animal food or water and are intended to affect digestive processes, reduce foodborne pathogens, or alter the gastrointestinal microbiome without providing nutritive value. They must act solely within the animal's digestive tract. Crucially, the bill clarifies that these substances are to be regulated as food additives , not animal drugs, solely based on their intended effects. However, substances intended for disease treatment, hormones, or active ingredients in approved animal drugs are explicitly excluded from this new definition. For approval, petitions for zootechnical animal food substances must include comprehensive data on their intended effects and the methods used in investigations. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will establish conditions for their safe use and to ensure they achieve their stated purpose. Approved substances will require specific labeling, including a mandatory statement that they are "Not for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals." Failure to include this disclaimer would render the product misbranded, and the bill specifies it does not authorize the Secretary to mandate the use of any such substance.