Oklahoma Cattlemen Call on USDA and FDA to Only Allow Meat from Live Animals to be Called Beef

The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association has submitted comments to the Food Safety Inspection Service of USDA as well as to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the request for feedback by the two agencies about the Use of Cell Culture Technology to Develop Products Derived from Livestock and Poultry. The letter, signed by the Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, Michael Kelsey, provides the following input to those working on the rules and regulations of cell based meat:

 

"On behalf of the membership of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA), I appreciate the opportunity to provide these written comments in response to the October 2425, 2018, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joint public meeting on the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry, and more recently, the November 16, 2018, announcement of a regulatory framework involving both USDA and FDA. 

 

"The recent statement on November 16th by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Perdue and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Gottlieb is an excellent step in the right direction. OCA supports a transition from FDA to USDA oversight during and after the cell harvest stage. OCA supports USDA oversight for the production and labeling of food products within this new technology.