Federal News
FSMA inspectors want ‘why’ of animal feed safety plan
Watt Ag Net | Posted on September 26, 2018To satisfy Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) inspectors, feed mill employees should know and be able to explain the reasoning behind all the steps in an animal feed safety plan, said Cassandra Jones, Ph.D., associate professor at Kansas State University, in an interview after her presentation at the Feed and Pet Food Joint Conference, on September 19 in St. Louis. Jones has observed a recurring problem when she helps feed mill facilities preparing for FSMA inspections. While feed mill workers may know the physical steps of a food safety plan, they may not have been fully trained on the reasoning behind each action.Many facilities haven’t completely fleshed out the why, she said.“The individual who is receiving the investigator understands what is in the safety plan, but may not understand why those decisions were made,” Jones said.
EPA to abandon restrictions against use of hydrofluorocarbons as refrigerant in appliances
The Hill | Posted on September 26, 2018The Trump administration is planning to do away with an Obama-era regulation that restricted a known greenhouse gas from being used as a refrigerant in household appliances. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) late Wednesday announced it's proposing a rule to rescind a 2016 regulation that would have phased out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in appliances. The chemical is frequently used as a refrigerant substitute in air conditioners and refrigerators. EPA said the new rule is based off the agency’s own determination that the previous rule “exceeded its statutory authority” by extending a refrigerant management requirement meant for ozone depleting substitutes to the gas, which in itself does not contribute to ozone depletion. The agency added that the new rule does not affect current requirements for other ozone-depleting refrigerants. Sensing a legal challenge may hinder the EPA’s implementation of the 2016 rule, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill in February that would give the agency the authority to regulate the greenhouse gas–causing chemical due to its air pollution, not relying on a connection to ozone depletion.At the time Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) said the bill, called the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, “continues support for American development and manufacturing of next-generation HFC-alternatives, while also protecting our environment and helping the U.S. meet its obligations under the amended Montreal Protocol — a true win-win.”
China ad in Des Moines Register aimed at U.S. farmers
Minnesota Star Tribune | Posted on September 26, 2018China reached into the U.S. heartland in its escalating trade war over President Donald Trump's tariffs, using an advertising supplement to highlight the impact on the state's soybean farmers as "the fruit of a president's folly." The four-page section in Sunday’s Des Moines Register, which carried the label “paid for and prepared solely by China Daily, an official publication of the People’s Republic of China,” featured such articles as one outlining how the trade dispute is forcing Chinese importers to turn to South America instead of the U.S. for soybeans.The advertising targets a state critical to Trump and Republicans as the trade war between the world’s two largest economies intensifies. The U.S. is imposing tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports starting Monday, on top of the $50 billion in goods already hit with tariffs. Meanwhile, $110 billion of goods from the U.S. will become subject to Chinese retaliatory tariffs around the same time.
China accuses US of ‘bullying’ on trade but calls for cooperation
South China Morning Post | Posted on September 26, 2018Beijing has accused Washington of bullying tactics and economic intimidation, while restating its own stance that only cooperation on trade issues will produce results, in the government’s most comprehensive statement of its trade war stance to date. The white paper released by the official Xinhua New Agency came after Beijing declined on Saturday the US invitation to hold talks to try to resolve the ongoing trade dispute and only an hour after the latest round of US tariffs on US$200 billion of Chinese imports kicked in. The document declared that the “America first” economic policies being pursued by the US administration and punitive tariffs on Chinese products had “greatly undermined” bilateral economic ties and threatened the world’s multilateral system of trade.In keeping with its practice not to personalise the trade conflict, the white paper never mentions US President Donald Trump by name throughout the 36,000-word text.
Concern over Possible Division within the Administration over China Trade
Chick News | Posted on September 26, 2018It is evident that the initiative of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin supported by U. S. financial and business leaders to reach an accord with China over trade issues is impeded by implacable opposition by elements in the Administration favoring escalation in tariffs. The President has proposed placing tariffs on an addition $200 billion in Chinese products exported to the U.S. with anticipated retaliatory action by China. Unilateral imposition of tariffs on exports to the U.S. will clearly serve as a barrier to continued negotiations. A White House spokesperson noted “The President has been clear that he and his Administration will continue to take action to address China’s unfair trade practices. We encourage China to address the longstanding concerns raised by the United States.” The Administration is apparently unaware of the concept of “face” which is an important determinant in decisions and action in China. To make concessions in an environment characterized by threats might be acceptable in the West, but is antithetical to leaders of the world’s second largest economy. This is expressed in a statement, “China is not going to negotiate with a gun pointed to its head.”
The truth is in the FSIS approved label; Or is it?
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted on September 26, 2018My quart of fat free King Supers milk says right on the front label: “Our farmers promise not to use rbST. FDA has determined there is no significant difference between milk from rbST-treated cows and non-rbST-treated cows.” Good for FDA. But the label still implies something must be bad in milk from rbST-treated cows.Now Perdue Farms has come out with a new label that is FSIS approved and that they are hoping will appeal to the millennials. I assure you it does not appeal to an old baby boomer who looks for truth in advertising. There are five statements that are made regarding Perdue chicken meat: 100% vegetarian fed, No animal byproducts, Raised cage free, No hormones or steroids, and No antibiotics ever.
U.S.-South Korea pact spurs hopes for NAFTA, China deals
Bloomberg | Posted on September 25, 2018The signing of a renegotiated free-trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea is spurring optimism that export markets for American farm goods won’t shut down and may even expand. President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in signed the agreement Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the first major trade deal the U.S. president has forged amid rising trade tensions. It’s welcome news for U.S. farmers worried that the closing of export markets, especially China, will exacerbate the impact of low prices due to expanding supplies of corn, soybeans, beef, pork and chicken.South Korea is the sixth-largest export market for U.S. agriculture, buying $6.9 billion worth of farm goods last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The free-trade agreement with the two countries has helped make South Korea the second-largest importer of U.S. beef after Japan by sales. U.S. pork exports have also risen.
Update on National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard
Delta Farm Press | Posted on September 24, 2018The Office of Management and Budget has received USDA’s final rule for the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, according to the National Law Review. The bill mandating establishment of the standard was passed by Congress in summer 2016. The bill:Requires a standard be established for disclosing the presence of bioengineered ingredients,Directs the agriculture secretary to establish requirements for carrying out the standard,Directs the secretary to conduct a study to identify potential technological challenges related to electronic or digital disclosure methods.Forbids states from establishing their own labeling requirements. The bill nulled a Vermont labeling law that was to take effect.USDA has released several proposed labels to certify a food contains bioengineered ingredients.
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on the FDA’s ongoing efforts to prevent foodborne outbreaks of Cyclospora
FDA | Posted on September 24, 2018The safety of the American food supply is one of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s highest priorities. A key part of our work in this space focuses on implementing the principles and measures of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The actions directed by FSMA are designed to prevent foodborne illness and food safety problems from happening. As part of these efforts, we conduct surveys that involve collecting a robust sample of certain food commodities available in the U.S. marketplace to monitor for the presence of foodborne pathogens. Over time, the FDA has increased its surveillance sampling efforts. We’ve also advanced new technology for pursuing these efforts and expanded the list of foodborne pathogens that the FDA monitors. Owing to these efforts, including a new FDA laboratory testing method, we’ve recently been able to add screening for Cyclospora – a parasite that causes intestinal infection after people ingest something, such as fresh or uncooked produce, or water that was contaminated with human waste – to the list of foodborne pathogens that we can routinely test for in appropriate commodities.
Arizona LGMA updates food safety practices for the upcoming growing season
PR Newswire | Posted on September 24, 2018The Arizona LGMA (Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement) is entering its upcoming growing season with improved food safety practices in light of the E. coli outbreak earlier this year associated with romaine. The updated Food Safety Metrics include: more rigorous risk assessments to address intense weather conditions; additional measures for the production of leafy greens near concentrated animal feeding operations; more prescriptive requirements for the cleaning and sanitizing of harvest equipment;, and stronger traceback requirements. These changes are required of all AZ LGMA members and will be verified during the upcoming season beginning in November 2018.