Category: U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
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APHIS Finalizes Import Rules for BSE Risk Classification
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced a final rule intended to bring its import regulations for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in line with “internationally-accepted scientific literature and standards set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).” According to a November 1, 2013, press release, the new…
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FSIS Issues New Guidance on Humane Handling Practices
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has developed new guidance, titled “FSIS Compliance Guide for a Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock,” that outlines a set of practices for livestock slaughter establishments that support the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Noting that the agency has taken “significant” measures during…
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USDA Publishes 2013 Sunset Review Recommendations for Organic Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has published a final rule addressing the recommendations submitted by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) as part of the 2013 sunset review of substances on USDA’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (the National List), which governs the use of synthetic and non-synthetic…
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USDA Issues Final Rule on Food Container Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a final rule, effective Oct. 17, 2013, amending regulations governing the standards for the condition of food containers. According to the agency, revising existing tables, removing operating characteristic curves and updating language in the standards will render them applicable to most types of…
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FTC Seeks Comments on Self-Regulatory Guidelines Submitted Under COPPA
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has requested comments on proposed self-regulatory guidelines submitted by the kidSAFE Seal Program under the safe harbor provisions of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (the COPPA Rule). Owned and operated by Samet Privacy, LLC, the kidSAFE Seal Program identifies itself as “a fast-growing safety certification service and seal-of-approval program…
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Upcoming Codex Meeting to Discuss Veterinary Drug Residues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration have announced an August 5, 2013, public meeting in Washington, D.C., to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions for discussion during the 21st Session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary…
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Federal Court Refuses to Enjoin Amended COOL Rules
A federal court in the District of Columbia has denied the American Meat Institute’s motion for a preliminary injunction in a challenge to the amended country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service in response to a World Trade Organization (WTO) determination that the original rules violated the…
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USDA Announces Public Meeting of NOSB
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service has announced an October 22-24, 2013, public meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) in Louisville, Kentucky. The meeting will address “several petitions pertaining to changes to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, including several substances for use in aquaculture, streptomycin for use…