September 2022

Dear Christina,

Welcome to September's Label Alert! In this month's headlines, FSIS rescinds its dual labeling requirements for certain meat and poultry product labels, a consumer group urges the FDA to create mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labels, a lawsuit against Whole Foods claims the chain's antibiotic-free meat labels aren't always true, and more ...

This month, we're pleased to offer Label Alert subscribers $100 off the USDA Labeling Webinar session bundle in addition to $100 off each Essential Guide to USDA Labeling manual purchase.

Now, get caught up on the latest industry news from Label Alert!

Rescission of Dual Labeling Requirements for Certain Packages of Meat and Poultry

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its labeling regulations to remove provisions that require packages of meat or poultry products that contain at least one pound or one pint, but less than four pounds or one gallon, to express the net weight or net contents in two different units of measurement on the product label.  

Read on...

FDA Urged to Create Mandatory, Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels

Consumers should be able to tell at a glance if a food or beverage is high in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. In a regulatory petition filed today with the Food and Drug Administration, the nonprofit food and health watchdog group is asking the agency to use its authority to establish a simple, standardized, evidence-based, and mandatory front-of-package labeling system for all packaged foods sold in the United States.

Read on ...

The Whole Foods Label Says the Meat Is Free of Antibiotics, but a Lawsuit Claims That’s Not Always True

A class action claims some of the meat sold by Whole Foods, the pioneer of natural food, contains antibiotics, even though the 300-store chain tells shoppers it doesn’t.

Read on...

Perspectives on the Evolving Regulatory Landscape for US Food and Beverage

There are a number of product safety challenges and risks facing the food and drink industry in the US, including balancing innovative products with regulatory compliance. In this article, we explore what these risks are, how companies can prepare, how the recall landscape is evolving and our predictions for the future. 

Read on...

USDA Invests Up To $300M to Expand Organic Certification

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest up to $300 million to give farmers access to the tools and resources needed to transition to organic. This includes technical assistance (roughly $100 million), farmer-to-farmer mentoring, crop insurance assistance (roughly $25 million) and direct monetary support through conservation financial assistance, USDA said.

Read on....

Congress Explores How Farm Bill Could Hasten CBD Regulations, Market Development

On Capitol Hill last week, hemp industry stakeholders and Congressional leaders frustrated by FDA’s lack of regulations for CBD and other hemp-derived compounds since the 2018 Farm Bill authorized commercial production of the crop, explored how the 2023 Farm Bill could strengthen oversight while also easing “inefficient” and “unnecessary” requirements.

Read on....