Food Industry Regulatory Update July 9, 2021

In this Week’s Edition:

Biden Administration to Emphasize Antitrust Enforcement in Agriculture Sector; Directs USDA to Issue New COOL Rules
FDA Files Food Additive Petition on Poultry Feed
FSIS Updates Guidance on Controlling Campylobacter and Salmonella in Raw Poultry
USDA Increases Quota for Imported Specialty Sugars
FDA Updated Interstate Milk Shippers List
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
FDA Warning Letters

Biden Administration to Emphasize Antitrust Enforcement in Agriculture Sector; Directs USDA to Issue New COOL Rules

The Biden Administration has issued an executive order to promote competition in the U.S. economy. Included in the executive order is a section on promoting competition in agriculture markets.

In the order the President:

Directs USDA to consider issuing new rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act making it easier for farmers to bring and win claims, stopping chicken processors from exploiting and underpaying chicken farmers, and adopting anti-retaliation protections for farmers who speak out about bad practices.
Directs USDA to consider issuing new rules defining when meat can bear “Product of USA” labels, so that consumers have accurate, transparent labels that enable them to choose products made here.
Directs USDA to develop a plan to increase opportunities for farmers to access markets and receive a fair return, including supporting alternative food distribution systems like farmers markets and developing standards and labels so that consumers can choose to buy products that treat farmers fairly.
Encourages the FTC to limit powerful equipment manufacturers from restricting people’s ability to use independent repair shops or do DIY repairs—such as when tractor companies block farmers from repairing their own tractors.

FDA Files Food Additive Petition on Poultry Feed

The petition, submitted by Biomin Holding GmbH, proposes that the food additive regulations be amended to provide for the safe use of fumonisin esterase to degrade fumonisins in poultry feed.

USDA Increases Quota for Imported Specialty Sugars

USDA has increased the overall FY 2021 refined sugar TRQ by 40,000 MTRV to 202,000 MTRV. The increased amount is reserved for specialty sugar. Entry of this sugar will be permitted beginning July 21, 2021. The sugar entered under this tariff-rate quota is reserved for organic sugar and other specialty sugars not currently produced commercially in the United States or reasonably available from domestic sources.

FDA Updated Interstate Milk Shippers List

The latest interstate milk shippers list is available here.

FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.

FDA Import Alerts

The latest FDA import alerts are available here and include crabmeat and pickled fish from Thailand, pesticides, illegal color additives and more.