Category: Department of Agriculture
-
Court Denies Black Farmers’ Intervention in Female & Hispanic Discrimination Suits
A federal court in the District of Columbia has denied the request of the Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association, Inc. to intervene in lawsuits brought by female and Hispanic farmers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alleging gender and race bias in the administration of farm loan and disaster benefit programs. Love v. Vilsack,…
-
USDA Formalizes Swine Virus Reporting Requirement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued an order requiring pork producers, veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories to report new incidents of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) and porcine deltacoronavirus to state health officials or USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The order formalizes measures announced in April to combat the spread of PEDv,…
-
CSPI Seeks Action on Pathogen Petition
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has filed a complaint against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food Safety and Inspection Service, seeking a declaration that the agencies have unreasonably delayed taking action on its May 2011 petition requesting that certain strains of antibiotic-resistant (ABR) Salmonella in ground meat and poultry be…
-
Animal Rights Group Says Food-Label Claims Not Verified
According to a new Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) report titled “Label Confusion: How ‘Humane’ and ‘Sustainable’ Claims on Meat Packages Deceive Consumers,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) fails to verify the accuracy of label claims on most meat and poultry products sold in the United States. The report suggests that food label claims used…
-
FSIS Issues Final Rule for Meat and Poultry Products that Contain “Added Solutions”
With an aim to “improve public awareness of product identities by providing truthful and accurate labeling of meat and poultry products,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has submitted its final rule for labeling products that contain an “added solution” to the federal Office of Management and Budget for review. Observing…
-
CCFC and CAI Criticize USDA Proposal on Food Marketing in Schools
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and Corporate Accountability International (CAI) published an April 25, 2014, letter to U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) School Programs Branch Chief Julie Brewer, criticizing a proposed rule that would require schools “to implement policies for the marketing of foods and beverages on the school campus during the school day…
-
NOP Issues Final Guidance on “Made with Organic” Labeling
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Organic Program (NOP) has issued final guidance on the use of “Made with Organic” claims on product labeling. According to NOP, the guidance seeks to clarify “the following aspects of products in this labeling category”: (i) “composition”; (ii) “compliant organic labeling claims”; (iii) “organic and nonorganic forms of…
-
FSIS Issues Guidance for Meat and Poultry Product Allergens
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued guidance for identifying, controlling and labeling allergens and other ingredients of public health concern through hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs) or other prerequisite programs. Geared toward meat and poultry products, the guidance seeks to ensure…