Category: U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
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Updated National List Includes Carrageenan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the renewal of 17 substances for the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, which determines which synthetic substances can be used in organic farming. Included on the list is carrageenan; USDA found that “potential substitutes do not adequately replicate the functions of carrageenan across the broad…
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USDA Releases Animal Traceability Report From Working Group
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released Animal Disease Traceability: Summary of Program Reviews and Proposed Directions from State-Federal Working Group, an overview report of the Animal Disease Traceability Program (ADT) that includes a summary of stakeholder feedback and preliminary recommendations to improve the program. According to the report, an internal review of ADT…
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DeLauro Asks GAO To Review Regulatory Framework for Lab-Grown Foods
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has sent a letter asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the regulatory framework for cell-cultured food products. According to the letter, such food products include lab-grown meat and “animal-free” milk that can be produced from fermented yeast and proteins in cow’s milk. DeLauro requested a “comprehensive review”…
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Public Meeting Scheduled for Codex Session on Analysis and Sampling Methods
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will sponsor a public meeting April 6, 2018, in Washington, D.C., to provide information and receive public comment on U.S. draft positions for the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling meeting to be held in Budapest, Hungary, May 7-11,…
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McCain, Shaheen Renew Objections to Catfish Import Restrictions
After the Vietnamese government asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to discuss U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) restrictions on catfish imports, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asking him to support repeal of the restrictions. “Since its implementation, the USDA Catfish Inspection Program has…
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USDA Withdraws Organic Livestock and Poultry Rule
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a final rule withdrawing the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule, leaving existing organic regulations in effect. The USDA announcement noted that withdrawal was opposed by “consumers, organic farmers, organic handlers, organizations representing animal welfare, environmental, or farming interests, trade associations, certifying agents and inspectors, and retailers.”…
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FDA Announces Education Campaign For Nutrition Facts Label
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the launch of a “major educational campaign for consumers” about changes to the Nutrition Facts label on food products. The campaign will include educational videos, social media outreach and “user-friendly” websites to help consumers understand the relationship between their daily dietary choices and the risk of…
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Vietnam Asks WTO For Consultation on U.S. Catfish Import Restrictions
Alleging unfair trade restrictions, the Vietnamese government has asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to consult with the United States to discuss limitations on catfish imports. Vietnam alleges that a recent move to shift import inspections from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to the U.S. Department of Agriculture subjects shipments of Vietnamese catfish (Siluriformes…