Category: Department of Agriculture
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Advocacy Group Sues To Compel USDA To Proceed With GMO Disclosure Act
The Center for Food Safety has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to proceed with the studies and public comment required to implement the 2016 Federal Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standards Act. Ctr. for Food Safety v. Perdue, No. 17-4967 (N.D. Cal., filed August 25, 2017). Passed by Congress in…
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Agencies Schedule Public Meetings on Codex Positions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and the Agricultural Marketing Service will sponsor three meetings in September and October 2017 to provide information and receive comments on U.S. positions to be discussed at upcoming Codex Alimentarius Commission meetings. On September 1, the agencies will discuss U.S. positions for the Committee on Fresh…
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Livestock Associations Sue USDA for COOL Rule Repeal
Two livestock trade associations have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alleging the agency’s 2016 repeal of marking and labeling regulations violates the Meat Inspection Act and the Tariff Act. Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of Am. v. U.S. Dept of Agric., No. 17-0223 (E.D. Wash., filed June 19, 2017).…
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Consumer Group Files FOIA Lawsuit for List of NPIS Participants
Food & Water Watch, a consumer advocacy group, has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service over the agencies’ denial of the group’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests asking for the names of companies that opted to participate in the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS).…
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APHIS Adds Two Public Meetings on Animal Disease Traceability System
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced two regional public meetings for public comment on the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system. The meetings will be in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 18, 2017, and Fort Worth, Texas, on July 20, 2017. APHIS is seeking comment from the cattle and…
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APHIS Hosts Public Meetings on GMOs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will host public meetings to hear comments on proposed revisions to regulations governing importation, interstate movement and environmental release of certain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Public meetings will be held in Kansas City, Missouri; Davis, California; Riverdale, Maryland; and via…
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Washington Post Details Fraudulent Corn and Soybean Imports
A Washington Post report tracking multiple shipments of corn and soybeans imported from Turkey has purportedly found that the food was sold in the U.S. market fraudulently labeled as organic. The article argues that U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards create loopholes that allow fraud to slip through. Organic corn and soybeans grown outside of…
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California Growers Sue to Stop Imports of Argentine Lemons
A group of California citrus growers has sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking to stop implementation of a new rule that would lift the ban on importation of lemons from Argentina, claiming the rule violates both “sound science and good public policy.” U.S. Citrus Sci. Council v. USDA, No. 17-0680 (E.D. Cal., filed May…