Skip to content Skip to navigation

Funding bill tackles cell-based meat and other food issues

The latest federal funding package from Congress weighs in on two contentious issues facing the USDA and FDA: oversight of cell-based meat and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s plan to move key research agencies outside of Washington. The legislation, H.J. Res. 31 (116), sets a timeline for the first time for ending any lingering disagreement over the regulation of cell-based meat by giving USDA and FDA three months to “enter into a formal agreement delineating“ their responsibilities. Some livestock interests had lobbied for USDA to have primary jurisdiction over the growing technology.Several members of Congress have also been trying to thwart Perdue’s proposal to relocate the USDA Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The latest funding bill requests a cost-benefit analysis for the plan, with the expectation “that this process will be followed in the future” for other proposed moves, according to report language.

 

Article Link: 
Article Source: 
Politico
category: