Tag Archives: USDA

Arizona Legislators Join Cell-Cultured Meat Labeling Debate

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As previously reported on this blog, there has been considerable discussion around the regulation of cell-cultured meat both at the federal and state levels. Earlier this month, USDA and FDA published a formal agreement regarding federal agency oversight of human food produced using cell technology. Under the formal agreement, FDA will oversee cell collection and … Continue Reading

HHS and USDA Announce 2020 Dietary Guidelines Topics and Advisory Committee Meeting

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In February 2018, The Daily Intake Blog reported that the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were soliciting “public comments on the proposed priority topics and supporting scientific questions that will guide the development of the upcoming 2020-2025” edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (the … Continue Reading

FDA Removes Import Alert for GE Salmon

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U.S. Food and Drug Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., announced on March 8, that the Agency was deactivating a 2016 import alert that prevented genetically engineered (GE) salmon from entering the U.S. By way of background, in 2015, FDA approved a New Animal Drug Application (NADA) related to AquAdvantage Salmon after determining that it met the … Continue Reading

USDA and FDA Provide Additional Details on Joint Regulation of Cell-Cultured Meat

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As we previously reported, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a November 16, 2018 joint press release, announced an agreement on joint regulation of cell-cultured meat.  Though the framework was not released at the time, the press release indicated that … Continue Reading

This Week’s Cannabis Highlights

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As previously reported in this blog, the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp – defined as Cannabis sativa L. with less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis – from the definition of “marihuana”.  The 2018 Farm Bill also assigned responsibility for regulating the manufacture of hemp to the states under plans approved by USDA … Continue Reading

Enforcement Activity by the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service Against Imported Siluriformes (Catfish) for “Failure to Present” Violations

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  As reported here, the domestic and import inspection program for Siluriformes fish and fish products (including catfish) was transferred from FDA to USDA in response to a congressional mandate.  After September 1, 2017, only foreign countries that had submitted documentation showing the equivalence of their Siluriformes fish inspection system with that of the U.S. … Continue Reading

Raw Turkey Pet Food Linked to Human Illness in Minnesota

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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has issued a recall notice for three lots of raw turkey pet food manufactured by Woody’s Pet Food Deli after linking a human case of Salmonella Reading infection to the product. The infected person served the recalled food to a pet, which also tested positive for Salmonella but a … Continue Reading

FDA and USDA Are Back to Work, But Getting Back to “Normal” May Still Take Time

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  FDA and USDA employees furloughed during the 35-day partial government shutdown have returned to work this morning after the President signed legislation on Friday to temporarily reopen the government for 3 weeks.  While this is very good news, it will take some time before all activities are running smoothly again. FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb’s … Continue Reading

Canada’s New “Food Guide” Does Not Include Separate Dairy Category

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Canada has released its updated “Food Guide” for 2019.  Later this year, Health Canada will release Part II of the Guide, which will include descriptions of healthy eating habits with recommendations on amounts and types of foods in a balanced diet.  While the changes as a whole shift the focus of the guide to a … Continue Reading

USDA and FDA Continue to Call Back Workers Amid Partial Shutdown

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As previously reported on this blog, without either a fiscal year 2019 appropriation or a Continuing Resolution, a partial government shutdown, which began on December 22, 2018, has continued to impact both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This blog has also reported that as of January 15, FDA resumed inspections … Continue Reading

NGO Publishes Report on Food Safety

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The United State Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) published “How Safe is Our Food? Recent trends and case studies, and what they mean for our health”, a review and commentary of the food safety system in the United States.  PIRG reviewed trends in food safety, with an emphasis on recalls, as well as case studies … Continue Reading

Nebraska Bill Defines Meat as Derived from Livestock or Poultry

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Introduced January 10, 2019, Nebraska Legislative Bill 14 would prohibit “misrepresenting a product as meat that is not derived from livestock or poultry.” The bill, which was referred to the Agriculture Committee on January 14, was introduced by Sen. Carol Blood. “I’m not bringing this bill to tell people what they can and can’t eat. All … Continue Reading

Lapse in Government Funding Continues to Affect FDA, USDA

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As previously covered on this blog, without either a fiscal year 2019 appropriation or a Continuing Resolution, a partial government shutdown, which began on December 22, 2018, has continued to impact both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As of the time of this blog’s publication, the government has … Continue Reading

USDA Publishes Final Rule Amending the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for Organic Handling or Production

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The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is responsible for maintaining the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (the “National List”) for organic handling and production as part of the National Organic Program (NOP) under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA; Public Law 101-624, Nov. 28, 1990).  The … Continue Reading

FDA, USDA Impacted by Lapse in Government Funding

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As of the time of this blog’s publication, without either a fiscal year 2019 appropriation or a Continuing Resolution, a partial government shutdown, which began on December 22, 2018, has continued to impact departments and agencies across the federal government. Both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are directly … Continue Reading

In Light of 2018 Farm Bill, FDA Issues Statement on Use of CBD in Food; Completes Evaluation of 3 Hemp-Related GRASNs

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The Agriculture Improvement Act (also known as “the 2018 Farm Bill”) was signed into law on December 20, 2018.  Among other things, the law changes certain federal authorities relating to the production and marketing of hemp, defined as cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.), and derivatives of cannabis (e.g., CBD) with extremely low (less than 0.3% on … Continue Reading

National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard Final Rule Released

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After much anticipation, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has released the final rule establishing the national mandatory bioengineered (BE) food disclosure standard. The rule is scheduled to be published on December 21, 2018 in the Federal Register. As previously reported on this blog, the proposed rule was published on May 4, 2018 and approximately 14,000 … Continue Reading

FSIS Announces Move from Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis to Whole Genome Sequencing for Analyzing Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) and Salmonella Isolates

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  Whole genome sequencing (WGS) determines the order of all of the DNA building blocks (nucleotides) in an organism’s entire genome in a single laboratory process.  A comparison of the DNA sequence of an isolated bacterial pathogen to the sequences from other samples in a DNA database can pinpoint the source of a foodborne disease … Continue Reading

Contrary to Popular Reports, Farm Bill Will Not Affect FDA Status of CBD

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Media outlets are reporting that a Farm Bill provision removing industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act will change the FDA status of cannabidiol (CBD) in foods.  However, the relevant provisions under Subtitle G (“Hemp Production”) affect only the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) authority over hemp farming and allow states to … Continue Reading

Mixed Reactions to Final Rule on School Meal Flexibilities

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As previously posted on this blog on November 30, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced temporary exemptions to some of the rigid nutrition standards for school meals established by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 and published an interim final rule, titled the “School Meal Flexibility Rule,” that would make some of … Continue Reading

Important Details Remain Unsettled Following USDA and FDA Announcement of Decision to Jointly Regulate Cell-Cultured Meat

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As previously reported on this blog, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have both claimed regulatory oversight of cell-cultured meat, a product that some say could be available for marketing in as early as three years.  Federal law grants regulatory authority over meat products, poultry, catfish, and … Continue Reading

CDC Issues Update on Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Raw Turkey

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An outbreak of Salmonella Reading linked to raw turkey that began in November 2017 continues to sicken Americans in 35 states.  Raw turkey pieces, ground turkey, whole turkey, and turkey pet food have been linked to illnesses in humans. A total of 164 people have been infected, 47% of whom have been hospitalized.  There has … Continue Reading

USDA Secretary Signals USDA Role Over Animal Cell Culture Technology Regulation Ahead of Joint USDA-FDA Meeting

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As previously reported on this blog, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they will hold a joint meeting on October 23-24, 2018, to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry. The meeting will focus on potential hazards, regulatory … Continue Reading
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