policy issues

Access & Availability of Technology Related News

January 25, 2024
FeedGram Issue 144, Jan. 25. 2024
AFIA Garners Additional Federal Funding to Support Emerging Market Opportunities. AFIA Takes on the AAFCO Mid-year Meeting. OSHA Seeks Participants for Safety and Health Leading Indicator Survey by Jan. 31. ICCF Requests Comments on ADME Evaluation by Feb. 23 FDA Launches Tech-enabled Traceability Video Series President Signs Temporary Funding Measure Averting Government Shutdown Vermont Bill Would Add Fees to Commercial Feed Registrations FAS Shares Updates to China's Facility Registration Process USMCA Leaders Meet to Discuss Reducing Trade Challenges Are You Planning on Attending the Animal Ag Sustainability Summit at IPPE? Moody Discusses IFEEDER, Industry Sustainability Efforts on New Podcast Reminder: DSA Award Nominations Due Next Week!
December 6, 2019
AFIA Addresses Concerns on Unintended Consequences with Requirements for Emerging Tech
The American Feed Industry Association supports the Food and Drug Administration's vision outlined in the Blueprint for a New Era of Smarter Food Safety, but is concerned about unintended consequences brought about by the requirement to adopt emerging technology for use in food tracking and traceability.
May 2, 2019
FDA's Food Safety Focuses on Traceability
On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration released its intent to create a "blueprint" for food safety with the goal of making food more traceable back to its original source. Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless and Frank Yiannas, deputy commissioner for food policy and response, said in a statement on Tuesday that the plan would include important items such as traceability, emerging technologies, changing business models and the necessity for industry and consumers to work together toward a common goal of food safety.
April 5, 2019
The AFIA Spring Journal Is Here
The American Feed Industry Association's biannual print magazine, the AFIA Journal, keeps members, association friends and affiliates of AFIA up-to-date on organization, industry and government information. The spring 2019 AFIA Journal is now available in its eMagazine format!
April 5, 2019
Advisory Committee Launched for Dietary Guidelines for America
Last week, the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee held its first meeting at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The American Feed Industry Association attended the meeting and will be engaged in the future to ensure the consideration of modern agricultural practices in the production of food is accurate and unbiased.
March 22, 2019
What Will the Farm & Food Environment Look Like by 2040?
If you think about it, almost all human progress can be rolled into agriculture, as farmers throughout the centuries have continuously innovated to feed a growing world. But ensuring they have the tools and regulatory environment they need for success is critical in delivering food choices to consumers. This was one of the take-home messages delivered at Agri-Pulse's Ag and Food Policy Summit, held this week in Washington, D.C.
March 22, 2019
AFIA Celebrates National Ag Day
Each March, the Agriculture Council of America hosts National Ag Day to celebrate the role agriculture plays in providing a safe, abundant and affordable food supply. The American Feed Industry Association proudly sponsored this year's Ag Day on March 14.
March 8, 2019
USDA, FDA Announce Joint Efforts to Regulate Cell-based Meat
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration released a formal agreement that outlines how the two federal entities will share jurisdiction over emerging cell-based meat and poultry products, after some disagreement on which agencies will carry the lead on regulating the new technology.
February 8, 2019
FFAR Showcases Food and Agriculture Research
This week in Washington, D.C., the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) launched its first-time celebration of funded projects that address the challenges facing agriculture and food production. "Foster Our Future" provided a day-long opportunity for FFAR to highlight research supported by partnerships, blending support from federal funds, academic institutions and private resources.
November 2, 2018
Public Listening Sessions Explores the Future Regulatory Environment of Cell-Cultured Meat
Who regulates the approval and sale of lab-grown beef, pork, chicken and fish? This is a question that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration are currently trying to answer and the impetus for a two-day public listening session held last week.
November 2, 2018
FDA Issues Guidance on Animal Biotech Regulations
On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced it will  release several guidance documents next year aimed at outlining the agency's approach to overseeing the regulation of biotechnology, including gene-edited plants and animals. 
September 21, 2018
FDA Releases Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance
In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration implemented a plan to place all production animal drugs important in human medicine under the control of a veterinarian via the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). Last week, the FDA highlighted additional changes to the use of animal drugs in a new report setting a five-year goal for antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings.
July 13, 2018
Stakeholders Speak Out About Regulatory Oversight of Foods Produced Using Animal Cell Culture Technology
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration heard from stakeholders on how new cell-cultured, meat-like products, which are scheduled to enter the marketplace in the near future, should be regulated. Although many of these products are still in the early stages of development, the FDA has been preparing for their introduction and is in the process of determining what information and data will be necessary for them to gain approval.
July 13, 2018
Groups Call for Maintaining Animal Feed Exclusion in BE Labeling
Any new federal regulation that dictates how bioengineered (BE) ingredients and food products are labeled in the marketplace should not disparage safe biotechnology, but rather commit to being truthful and non-misleading, so consumers have the best information available as the law intended, a coalition of agricultural and food organizations told the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in letters last week.