Category: U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
-
GAO Report Criticizes USDA School Lunch Standards
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued a report criticizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its “limited” response to school districts that had trouble implementing the new school lunch nutrition standards for the 2012-2013 school year. According to GAO, which gathered feedback from eight districts, schools reported that restrictions on the amount…
-
USDA Approves First Non-GMO Label for Meat, Poultry, Liquid Egg Products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service has reportedly approved a Non-GMO Project certification seal and “Non-GMO” statement on labels for products from animals that did not consume feed containing genetically modified (GM) ingredients, such as corn, soy and alfalfa. The certification will attest that the meat, poultry and liquid egg…
-
Animal Welfare Institute Petitions FSIS for Humane Slaughter Methods
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has submitted a petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) asking that the agency require all slaughter establishments to create and implement written animal-handling plans to decrease the “needless suffering of animals during slaughter.” Citing more than 1,000 humane slaughter violations that allegedly occurred…
-
FSIS Proposes Labeling Mechanically Tenderized Beef Products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a proposal that would require beef products undergoing a mechanical tenderization process be labeled as such and include new cooking instructions to ensure proper handling. According to an agency spokesperson, “Ensuring that consumers have effective tools and information is important in helping…
-
DOJ Seeks Public Comment on Anheuser-Busch InBev/Grupo Modelo Merger Settlement
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has published the antitrust complaint filed with a proposed final judgment and competitive impact statement, resolving its concerns that the acquisition of Grupo Modelo S.A.B. de C.V. by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV would violate section 7 of the Clayton Act. According to DOJ, the final judgment requires the companies “to divest…
-
Ninth Circuit Upholds Deregulation of GM Alfalfa
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling affirming the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) decision that genetically modified (GM) alfalfa is not a “plant pest” and thus that it lacked authority to stop its deregulation or to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service…
-
USDA Issues Revised COOL Rule
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a final rule amending the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations to comply with a World Trade Organization (WTO) appellate ruling that certain provisions relating to muscle cut meat commodities were inconsistent the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement), which…
-
FTC Slates Packaging and Labeling Regulations for Review
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a modified 10-year review schedule that includes Fair Packaging and Labeling Act regulations among those for which the agency plans to request public input in 2013 as to their need, costs, benefits, and burdens. Specifically at issue are the regulations under sections 4 and 5(c), exemptions from requirements under…