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Potential ‘turf war’ over who regulates lab-produced meat

A recent Food and Drug Administration hearing on lab-produced meat may have been the first volley in a potential “turf war” over regulation of the new technology.

Danielle Beck of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, who attended the meeting, says FDA officials made their position clear—they believe they should have regulatory authority over lab-produced meat products. But Beck says NCBA believes that jurisdiction lies with USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

“The law is clear. Any meat product, meat food product or meat by-product should be regulated by them (FSIS),” Beck says. “We believe the USDA is the appropriate regulator and FDA was putting the cart before the horse today.”

Dr Dan Kovich of the National Pork Producers Council agrees.

“It’s pretty clear by the letter of the law that any of this stuff that’s made, that is going to be sold as a meat product, is going to have to be under the ultimate supervision of FSIS,” Kovich says.

Beck says there are still many unanswered questions about the safety of the lab-produced products.

“One of the professors who spoke mentioned that there are multiple different points for pathogen introduction,” she says. “There’s still a huge food safety component here and ultimately the scientists at USDA have the expertise there.”

The livestock groups also have concerns about how the lab-produced meat products will be labeled. The say consumers deserve to know whether meat products come from a real, live animal.

AUDIO: Danielle Beck (statement provided by NCBA)

 

AUDIO: Dr. Dan Kovich