- USDA Country of Origin Requirements
- USDA Announces Sign-up for Cost-Share Assistance for On-Farm Grain Storage in Areas with Limited Commercial Capacity Due to Severe Storms
- FDA Seeks $7.2 Billion to Protect and Advance Public Health by Enhancing Food Safety and Advancing Medical Product Availability
- USDA Announces More Than $43M Investment in Meat and Poultry Processing Research, Expansion and Innovation
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Actions, Investments to Create Fairer Markets, Lower Prices
- Statement by Secretary Vilsack Regarding USMCA Consultation Request with Mexico
- Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling
- FDA Calls for Enhanced Safety Measures in Letter to Powdered Infant Formula Industry
- United States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins
- FDA Launches New Directory of Ingredients Used in Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements
- FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
- FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
- FDA Import Alerts
- FDA Warning Letters
USDA Country of Origin Requirements
USDA released a proposed rule with new regulatory requirements to better align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means. The proposed rule allows the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.
USDA Announces Sign-up for Cost-Share Assistance for On-Farm Grain Storage in Areas with Limited Commercial Capacity Due to Severe Storms
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that producers in counties affected by eligible disaster events in Kentucky, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and Tennessee can apply for cost-share assistance through the Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance Program. The new program provides cost-share assistance for the construction of new grain storage capacity and drying and handling needs, in order to support the orderly marketing of commodities. An initial allocation of $20 million in cost-share assistance is available to agricultural producers in affected counties impacted by the damage to or destruction of large commercial grain elevators as a result of natural disasters from Dec. 1, 2021, to Aug. 1, 2022.
FDA Seeks $7.2 Billion to Protect and Advance Public Health by Enhancing Food Safety and Advancing Medical Product Availability
FDA announced it is requesting $7.2 billion as part of the president’s fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget. This funding will allow the agency to continue to leverage new and emerging technologies, recruit and support a highly skilled workforce and adapt oversight to new production and business models. This is work that will have an immediate impact on food, tobacco and medical product safety in this country while also preparing the agency to address rapid innovation across the food and medical products fields.
USDA Announces More Than $43M Investment in Meat and Poultry Processing Research, Expansion and Innovation
USDA announced an investment of more than $43 million in meat and poultry processing research, innovation and expansion in support of its ongoing efforts to transform the food system at every stage along the supply chain. This investment is funded through the American Rescue Plan and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Actions, Investments to Create Fairer Markets, Lower Prices
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $89 million across the country to finance the startup and expansion of independent meat processors. USDA also announced initial steps the Department is taking to create a more competitive marketplace for seeds and other agricultural inputs.
Statement by Secretary Vilsack Regarding USMCA Consultation Request with Mexico
Read Tom Vilsack’s statement regarding the announcement by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that the United States is requesting technical consultations with Mexico under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Chapter of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. These consultations regard certain Mexican measures concerning products of agricultural biotechnology.
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling
The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 47th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will meet in Gatineau, Canada, May 15-19, 2023.
FDA Calls for Enhanced Safety Measures in Letter to Powdered Infant Formula Industry
FDA sent a letter to manufacturers, packers, distributors, exporters, importers, and retailers involved in the manufacturing and distribution of powdered infant formula to share current safety information and call on the industry to take prompt action to improve processes and programs for the protection of our most vulnerable population.
United States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins
AMS proposes to revise the United States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins. AMS is proposing to modify two references to the allowances for capstems within the standards to modernize the standards to reflect current industry practices. The proposal also includes minor editorial changes to table headings to align with updated Code of Federal Regulations formatting requirements.
USDA Proposes New Requirements for the “Product of USA” Label
USDA released a proposed rule with new regulatory requirements to better align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means. The proposed rule allows the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.
FDA Launches New Directory of Ingredients Used in Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements
FDA is unveiling its new Dietary Supplement Ingredient Directory, a webpage where the public can look up ingredients used in products marketed as dietary supplements and quickly find what the FDA has said about that ingredient and whether the agency has taken any action with regard to the ingredient. The directory is in list form and includes links to the agency’s actions and communications for each ingredient on the list.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
- A new outbreak of Salmonella Hartford (ref # 1144) linked to a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated traceback.
- For the outbreak of hepatitis A virus (ref #1143), the case count has been adjusted from nine to five cases, following CDC’s exclusion of suspect cases from the case count. FDA has initiated sample collection and analysis.
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
The latest FDA import alerts include imported food products that appear to be misbranded, human and animal foods for pesticides, foods containing illegal or undeclared colors.
FDA Warning Letters
The Vapor Master LLC |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Golden Bridge Gourmet, Inc. DBA Golden Bridge Enterprises |
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) |
Ada Teff |
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) |
Arrow Reliance Inc. |
CGMP/Food for Animals/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated |
Livestock Nutrition Center |
CGMP/Food for Animals/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated |