Brooks Law Digest: Food Safety Inspection Service

The Organic Consumers Association, represented by the Richman Law Group, has filed suit against Smithfield Foods, alleging that the company’s representation of its products as the “safest” on the market is false and misleading.

Food & Water Watch has submitted a letter responding to the Food Safety Inspection Service’s denial last week of the organization’s petition requesting that the agency remove Brazil from the list of countries eligible to import meat products into the United States.

The Food Safety Inspection Service has denied a 2017 Food & Water Watch petition requesting that the agency remove Brazil from the list of countries eligible to import meat products in the United States.

Paul Kiecker will replace Carmen Rottenberg as Administrator of the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service, Secretary Perdue has announced.

A petition submitted on behalf of Food & Water Watch, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, and several individuals requests that the Food Safety Inspection Service declare a number of types of Salmonella outbreaks to be per se adulterants in meat and poultry products under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act. The agency is accepting comments on the petition until March 23, 2020.

The Food Safety Inspection Service has responded to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s petition asking the agency to initiate rulemaking to require the disclosure of use of antibiotics in meat and poultry products. The agency rejected the petition, referring to its recent notice that it has released updated guideline for animal raising claims, including claims regarding antibiotics.

The Food Safety Inspection Service has announced an updated version of its guideline on statements that bioengineered or genetically modified ingredients or animal feed were not used in the production of meat, poultry, or products.

The Food Safety Inspection Service has responded to the Animal Welfare Institute’s petition asking the agency to define the term “free range” and amend the approval process for that claim. The agency responded by citing its recently released updated guideline for animal raising claims and says it believes the agency’s current process for approval of such claims is effective. 

The Food Safety Inspection Service has announced an updated version of its guideline on the documentation required to support animal raising claims on meat and poultry product labeling. Changes to the guideline include requirements that product labels include descriptive language that accompany claims of animal welfare and environmental stewardship and added information on the use of terms synonymous with “free range.” The agency is accepting comments on the changes until February 25, 2020.

Food Safety and Inspection Service workers have spoken out against the new system, warning that reduced inspection and increased line speeds could expose consumers to unsafe products.