In This Week’s Edition:
- Rescission of Dual Labeling Requirements for Certain Packages of Meat and Poultry
- Eligibility of the Dominican Republic to Export Raw Intact Beef to the United States
- 2022/2023 Rates Charged for AMS Services: Revised Rates for Audit Services
- Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements; Delayed Effective Date
- USDA Announces New Opportunities to Improve Nutrient Management
- USDA Recommends Adding Food Safety Items to Your Back-to-School List
- Pistachios Grown in California, Arizona, and New Mexico; Continuance Referendum
- FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
- FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
- FDA Import Alerts
- FDA Warning Letters
Rescission of Dual Labeling Requirements for Certain Packages of Meat and Poultry
FSIS is amending its labeling regulations to remove provisions that require packages of meat or poultry products that contain at least one pound or one pint, but less than four pounds or one gallon, to express the net weight or net contents in two different units of measurement on the product label. Under the existing regulations dual declaration is required to express the net weight in ounces and immediately thereafter in parentheses in pounds, with any remainder in terms of ounces or common or decimal fraction of the pound (e.g., Net Wt. 24 oz. (1 lb. 8 oz.),
Net Wt. 24 oz. (1.5 lbs.)” or Net Wt. 24 oz. (1\1/2\ lb.)''). For liquid measure, dual declaration is required to be expressed as the net content in fluid ounces and immediately thereafter in parentheses the largest whole U.S. customary unit (e.g., pints or, quarts, with any remainder expressed in terms of fluid ounces or common or decimal fraction of the pint or quart (e.g.,
Net contents 32 fl oz. (1 QT)” or “Net contents 30 fl oz. (1 pint 14 fl oz.)”). These dual declaration requirements are being eliminated in the final rule. FSIS is taking this action in response to a petition submitted on behalf of a small meat processing establishment.
Eligibility of the Dominican Republic to Export Raw Intact Beef to the United States
This USDA notice provides instructions to inspection program personnel at official import inspection establishments on actions to take when verifying the accuracy of foreign inspection certificates for imported raw intact beef products from the Dominican Republic. The certificates provide assurance from the Dominican Republic’s central competent authority that these products were produced under an inspection system equivalent to FSIS requirements.
2022/2023 Rates Charged for AMS Services: Revised Rates for Audit Services
AMS is announcing revisions to the 2022/2023 rates it will charge for Federal and State Audit Services provided by the Specialty Crop Program. Revisions correct the base units for these user fee rates, which were published on June 14, 2022. All other AMS user fee rates will remain unchanged.
Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements; Delayed Effective Date
As required by an order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, this action delays the effective date of the final rule “Tobacco Products; Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements”, which published on March 18, 2020. The new effective date is October 6, 2023.
USDA Announces New Opportunities to Improve Nutrient Management
USDA welcomed the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will deliver $19.5 billion in new conservation funding to support climate-smart agriculture. The funding will support the new steps that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced to improve opportunities for nutrient management. NRCS will target funding, increasing program flexibilities, launch a new outreach campaign to promote nutrient management’s economic benefits, in addition to expanding partnerships to develop nutrient management plans. This is part of USDA’s broader effort to address future fertilizer availability and cost challenges for U.S. producers.
USDA Recommends Adding Food Safety Items to Your Back-to-School List
USDA recommends parents and guardians to make sure to include food safety items on your shopping list to keep school lunches safe. Here is their recommended shopping list:
- Clean and sanitize surfaces and utensils
- Different colored cutting boards
- Food thermometers for food prep
- Insulated lunch boxes and gel packs
- Insulated containers
- Handwashing aides
Pistachios Grown in California, Arizona, and New Mexico; Continuance Referendum
This notice directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible pistachio producers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of pistachios grown in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The referendum will be conducted from October 31 through November 18, 2022. To vote in this referendum, producers must have produced pistachios within the designated production area during the period September 1, 2021, through August 31, 2022.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
An outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 (ref# 1081) in an unidentified product was added to the table and FDA has initiated a traceback investigation. CDC has issued an Investigation Notice.
• An outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg (ref# 1087) in an unidentified product was added to the table.
• An outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (ref# 1095) in an unidentified product was added to the table and traceback has been initiated.
• For the outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup (ref# 1075) in an unidentified product, the outbreak has ended.
• For the outbreak of Cyclospora in an unidentified product (ref# 1084), the case count has increased from 77 to 98.
• For the outbreak of hepatitis A illnesses linked to fresh strawberries (ref# 1066), the FDA investigation has closed and the outbreak is over.
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
The latest FDA import alerts include foreign establishments refusing FDA inspection, food products due to salmonella, products that appear to be misbranded, and more.
FDA Warning Letters
Prestige Worldwide Worldwide LLC d/b/a Vape 911 |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Rip It Vapors, LLC |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
VPR Brands, LP d/b/a Krave Nic |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Meddle Vapes |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Vape NV LLC |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Oregon’s Wild Harvest, Inc. |
CGMP/Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements/Adulterated |
Verde Cosmetic Labs LLC |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
Cangene BioPharma, LLC dba Emergent BioSolutions |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
Deggeh Foods, Inc. |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
EH Maldonado and Company |
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) |
Cantoro Food Market |
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) |
Rev Products LLC |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Vapewell Supply LLC |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |