US government lobbied over cell-based jurisdiction
In a letter to President Trump, the two organisations “respectfully requested that the Administration clarify the regulatory framework for cell-based meat and poultry products, based on the existing comprehensive system that ensures US consumers enjoy the safest and most affordable food in the world”.
It suggested that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should have oversight over pre-market safety evaluations for cell-based meat and poultry products, with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) providing input to FDA as part of this process.
Showing collaboration, they went onto explain a new definition of meat produced from animal cells.
“As leaders and partners in meeting the world’s protein needs, we know that large-scale production methods, small-scale farming, and cell-based meat and poultry production methods will all play a role. Cell-based meat products are meat produced from animal cells in cell culture. They are an ‘and’, not an ‘or’ solution, and the latest in a long history of innovation in American agriculture. Recognising a shared desire to support innovation and feed the world, moving forward we will use the term ‘cell-based meat and poultry’ to describe the products that are the result of animal cell culture.”
United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) president Kenny Graner also issued a statement on the matter.
“USCA was the first to take action on the emergence of lab-grown and plant-based protein alternatives at the beginning of the year by submitting our petition for rule-making to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). We shined a spotlight on this issue, demanding companies to accurately label their products, and we are now seeing those efforts come to light.
“USCA remains concerned about the use of the term ‘meat’, but the commitment to come to the table to propose solutions is a step in the right direction. USCA continues to call on everyone in the cattle industry to get involved in this dialogue.”
