 Prior to 1967, the use of poultry litter as cattle feed was unregulated but that year the FDA issued a policy statement that poultry litter offered in interstate commerce as animal feed was adulterated, effectively banning the practice.In 1980, FDA reversed this policy and passed regulation of litter to the states.In December 2003, in response to the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in a cow in the state of Washington, the FDA announced plans to put in place a poultry litter ban.