Archive: AASV Position Statement – Recommendations to Meet Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) Requirements of U.S. Pork

The following versions of the position statement are provided for historical purposes only.

The current AASV Position Statement on Recommendations to Meet Requirements and Prevent Violative Residues in U.S. Pork and Pork Products was approved by the Board of Directors on April 27, 2023. Previous versions of the position are below:

2006 AASV Position Statement: Recommendations to Meet Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) Requirements of U.S. Pork

Background and Goals:

• Protection of export markets and consumer confidence is of critical importance to the pork industry
• Highest risk to these markets is from mass medication during the finishing period and in the breeding herd.
• Animal care and production may require administering products during the finishing phase or in the breeding herd.
• The AASV product withdrawal database contains only products for which the manufacturer has supplied specific MRL withdrawal information.  Products without specific MRL withdrawal information are not listed.

Recommendations:

• Use the best science available to ensure compliance with market specifications
• If specific withdrawal times for a product have not been supplied by the manufacturer, the product will not be listed in the product/withdrawal database.  If a product is not listed in the database, the AASV recommends not using that product during the finisher phase or in breeding animals.  This includes proprietary and generic products.
  • A generic product may have a different withdrawal time than its proprietary equivalent. Follow the specific product withdrawal recommendation. 
• Follow the recommended product withdrawal to meet the MRL requirements.  Product withdrawal time is based on applying the product at the labeled dosage and route and duration of administration.
• If a compound is given by multiple routes of administration (example – given in the water, in the feed and/or by injection) simultaneously, withdrawal time may need to be extended.  Contacting the product manufacturer(s) about appropriate withdrawal time to meet market expectations is recommended.  
• Follow appropriate administration techniques
  • Includes location of injection site
  • Includes volume of product within one injection site
  • Any change in location, administration, volume or labeled directions constitutes extralabel use. There may not be specific withdrawal data available for extralabel use of specific products.
• Follow quality assurance procedures to prevent mistakes

Approved by the AASV Board of Directors on October 3, 2006