Category: U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
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USDA Receives Hundreds of Comments on Hemp Interim Rule
Two weeks after opening a comment period on an interim final rule on hemp farming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received more than 600 comments. The rule set limits for the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can legally be produced by the crop, and farmers have reportedly told the agency that the limit…
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Olive Oil Group Seeks Standard of Identity from FDA
The American Olive Oil Producers Association has filed a citizen petition urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “promulgate regulations for the standards of identity for olive oil and olive-pomace oil.” The lack of standard of identity has led to “widespread mislabeling of grades, adulteration, consumer mistrust, and unfair and unethical industry business…
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USDA Issues Interim Rule on Hemp Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued an interim final rule “specifying the rules and regulations to produce hemp.” The rule outlines provisions for USDA “to approve plans submitted by States and Indian Tribes for the domestic production of hemp” and “establishes a Federal plan for producers in States or territories of Indian Tribes…
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Bipartisan “Real MEAT Act” Would Define “Beef” Federally
Reps. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.) have introduced the Real Marketing Edible Artificials Truthfully (MEAT) Act, which would “codify the definition of beef for labeling purposes, reinforce existing misbranding provisions to eliminate consumer confusion, and enhance enforcement measures available to the [U.S. Department of Agriculture] if the [Food and Drug Administration] fails to…
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FDA, FTC Warn CBD Company for Unsubstantiated Claims
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have announced a joint warning letter sent to Rooted Apothecary LLC focused on the potential benefits that the company claimed its cannabidiol (CBD) products could provide. “The Agency continues to be concerned about the proliferation of products asserting to contain CBD that are…
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Updates to National List Published
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a set of changes to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, which documents the synthetic materials allowed or banned in the production and handling of organic agriculture. The amendments include the addition of “elemental sulfur for use as a molluscicide,” the addition of “polyoxin D…
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FDA Warns Company Selling CBD Oil
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has published a warning letter it sent in September 2019 to a company selling cannabidiol (CBD) oil as a dietary supplement. “This product is labeled as a dietary supplement; however, it cannot be a dietary supplement because it does not meet the definition of a dietary supplement,” the letter…
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U.S. Agencies Announce Actions on Organics, NPIP, Hazard Analyses
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a number of developments in their work on organic food, poultry and food safety. FDA released an update on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), announcing it will track outcomes for FSMA rules for inspections and recalls via the…