Courtesy NCBA
Back in April, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) submitted official comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) outlining key principles for the regulation of fake meat products. The comments were filed to encourage USDA to look beyond modifying “standards of identity” in order to provide adequate protection for beef producers and consumers. Colin Woodall, NCBA’s senior vice president of government affairs, says this is a top-priority issue for the association.
Fake Meat a Top Priority for NCBA
Last Friday, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Director of Government Affairs Danielle Beck issued the following statement in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement that itwill hold a public meeting on foods produced using animal cell culture technology:
“NCBA looks forward to participating fully in the public meeting, and will use the opportunity to advocate for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversight of lab-grown fake meat products. The Food and Drug Administration’s announcement disregards the authorities granted to USDA under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, as well as USDA’s significant scientific expertise and long-standing success in ensuring the safety of all meat and poultry products. Under the current regulatory framework, FDA plays an important role in terms of ensuring the safety of food additives used in meat, poultry, and egg products. All additives are initially evaluated for safety by FDA, but ultimately FSIS maintains primary jurisdiction.”