Tag Archives: MEAT

USDA Issues Guidelines Regarding Livestock Slaughter and Processing Inspection Exemptions

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On May 24, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a guideline: FSIS Guideline for Determining Whether a Livestock Slaughter or Processing Firm is Exempt from the Inspection Requirements of the Federal Meat Inspection Act.  Absent an exemption, all establishments where cattle, goat, swine, or sheep are slaughtered … Continue Reading

Missouri Considers Plant-Based Meat Labeling Bill

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The Missouri House approved a bill that would ban companies from labeling lab-grown meat products or meat substitutes as meat (St. Louis Post Dispatch). The labeling proposal is included in House Committee Bill 16, which passed the House by a vote of 107 to 38 on April 26, 2018. Now before the state Senate, the … Continue Reading

USCA petitions USDA for Labeling Alternative Beef Products

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulates the quality, safety, and labeling of meat, poultry, and egg products marketed in the United States.  Recently, alternative meat products (known as “clean” meat) produced by culturing cells have become an increasingly hot topic. On February 9, 2018, the United States Cattlemen’s … Continue Reading

Canadian Study Identifies Off-Label Meat in 1 in 5 Sausages

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Funded by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), University of Guelph researchers have conducted the first-ever Canadian study examining sausage mislabeling. The study examined 100 sausages that were labeled as containing just one ingredient — beef, pork, chicken or turkey. Published on July 31, 2017 in Food Control, the study found cross-species contamination of meat ingredients in … Continue Reading

Pew Study Assesses Food Safety Efforts from Farm to Fork

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A Pew Charitable Trusts study released this month examines “preharvest” food safety control measures currently used on farms and feedlots and concludes that efforts to reduce contamination of meat and poultry products from harmful pathogens requires a comprehensive “farm to fork” approach. The study specifically examined food safety control measures designed to limit exposure on … Continue Reading

Cattle Producers Sue USDA to Reinstate COOL

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As previously covered on this blog, in 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented country of origin labeling (COOL) rules, requiring meat labels to indicate where animals were born, raised, and slaughtered.  Meatpacking and livestock commodity groups in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico challenged the COOL requirements via appeal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and … Continue Reading

CSPI Petitions USDA for Cancer-Risk Warning Labels on Meat

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For years, researchers have debated the link between the consumption of red meat and cancer.  On October 26, 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) took what is perhaps the most definitive and aggressive position thus far by any health organization on this hot-button issue, announcing that, based on a 22-member expert panel’s analysis of more … Continue Reading

Will COOL Make a Come Back?

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As previously covered on this blog, mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) rules for beef products have long been the subject of controversy and challenge, culminating in a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that the COOL requirements violate U.S. trade obligations to Canada and Mexico and Congress repealing COOL as of December 21, 2015. With a … Continue Reading

California Provision Goes Slack

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Federal law preempts California slack fill challenges for USDA-regulated products. Under the California Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, companies can be challenged for including “nonfunctional slack fill” in product packaging.  Slack fill is the empty space between products and their packaging, and the goal of California’s requirements is to prevent consumer deception when products are … Continue Reading

“Grass Fed” Gone?

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USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service withdraws the standards for “grass fed” and “naturally raised” marketing claims The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the USDA provides the livestock and meat industries with an option to voluntarily have marketing claims covered by AMS standards verified by the USDA, and to identify such claims as “USDA Certified”.  AMS established standards … Continue Reading

USDA Beefs Up Product Tracing

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USDA issues final rule imposing new recordkeeping requirements on beef producers to improve traceability. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulates the safety of meat products in the United States.  In recent years, FSIS has struggled with limits on its ability to trace the source of foodborne illness outbreaks involving … Continue Reading

Tariff Trouble

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WTO authorizes Canada and Mexico to impose over $1 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products related to country of origin labeling dispute. As previously covered on this blog, the U.S. has been dealing with the aftermath of a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements unfairly discriminate against … Continue Reading

Processed Meat Takes Heat

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WHO announces causal link between consumption of processed meats and cancer. For years, researchers have debated the link between the consumption of red meat and cancer.  For instance, the American Cancer Society’s position is that some studies indicate “a link” between eating red meat and increased risk of colorectal cancer, but the group has not … Continue Reading

Mystery Meat

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DNA bar coding used to detect mislabeled meat. “DNA bar coding” made headlines earlier this year when the New York Attorney General’s office launched a probe into major retailers and alleged that herbal supplements sold in their stores did not contain the ingredients represented on the product labels.  Many discussed and debated the utility of DNA … Continue Reading

COOL Cash Cow

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USTR indicates that COOL damages are much lower than Canada and Mexico estimated. As previously covered on this blog, the U.S. government continues to develop strategies to cope with the aftermath of a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements unfairly discriminate against meat imports.  Because COOL requirements are … Continue Reading

COOL by Choice

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Senate introduces voluntary COOL bill. As previously covered on this blog, Congress has been working to resolve the controversy surrounding country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements for meat products.  In the wake of a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that mandatory COOL requirements unfairly discriminate against meat imports — and the WTO’s subsequent rejection of … Continue Reading

Where’s the Beef?

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USDA to permit beef imports from Argentina and Brazil. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is tasked with protecting the United States from animal and plant pests that could threaten the domestic agricultural market and the food supply.  Regulations in 9 CFR Part 94 prohibit or restrict the … Continue Reading

Senate Stalls

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Senate still has not passed bill to repeal COOL requirements. As previously covered on this blog, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill to repeal country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements for meat products.  The COOL requirements have long been mired in controversy, culminating in a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that the … Continue Reading

Cooling Off

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House votes to repeal COOL requirements for meat. As previously covered on this blog, U.S. country of origin labeling (COOL) rules for meat products have long been the subject of controversy and challenge, culminating in a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that the COOL requirements violate U.S. trade obligations to Canada and Mexico.  The WTO … Continue Reading

Friday Follow-Up

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House Agricultural Committee votes to repeal COOL requirements. As covered on this blog earlier this week, the World Trade Organization (WTO) rejected the U.S. appeal of a ruling regarding the propriety of its country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements for meat products.  The WTO’s latest action means that its earlier ruling against the COOL requirements … Continue Reading

Un-COOL

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WTO rejects U.S. appeal of COOL ruling. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented country of origin labeling (COOL) rules, requiring meat labels to indicate where animals were born, raised, and slaughtered.  Meatpacking and livestock commodity groups in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico challenged the COOL requirements via appeal to the World Trade … Continue Reading
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