Written by M. Sean High – Staff Attorney
The following information is an update of recent,
local, state, national, and international legal developments relevant to
agriculture:
Federal
Regulations: President Issues Freeze on New and Pending Regulations
On January 20, 2017, Reince Priebus, Assistant to
the President and Chief of Staff, issued a Memorandum
on behalf of the President placing a freeze on any new or pending federal
regulations. First, the memorandum stated
that no new regulations may be sent to the Office of the Federal Register (OFR)
until an agency or department head appointed by the President reviews and
approves the regulation. Second, any
regulation already sent to OFR, but not published in the Federal Register (FR),
must be immediately withdrawn. Third, any regulations published in the FR, but which
have not taken effect, will have their effective date delayed for 60 days from
the date of the memorandum (January 20, 2017).
Genetically
Engineered: USDA Proposes Changes to Biotechnology Regulations
On January 19, 2017, the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Service (APHIS) published notice in
the Federal Register that the agency is “revis[ing] its regulations regarding
the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain
genetically engineered organisms” (82
FR 7008). According to APHIS, the proposed
revision is “in response to advances in genetic engineering and understanding
of the plant pest and noxious weed risk posed by genetically engineered (GE)
organisms, thereby reducing burden for regulated entities whose organisms pose
no plant pest or noxious weed risks.” The comment period for the proposed rule
closes May 19, 2017.
Plant Technology:
FDA Requests Comment for Genome Editing of Plants Used for Human and Animal Food
On January 19, 2017, the United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) published notice in the Federal Register announcing the “establishment
of a docket to receive comments on the use of genome editing techniques to
produce new plant varieties that are used for human or animal food” (82
FR 6564). According to FDA, “[r]ecently,
new technologies have emerged that are intended to alter the genomes of various
organisms…[which] make it easier for plant developers to produce new plant
varieties with targeted genetic modifications.” As a result, FDA seeks comment
to help inform the agency’s thinking regarding foods derived from new plant
varieties using these technologies. The
comment period closes April 19, 2017.
International
Trade: President Withdraws US from Tran-Pacific Partnership
On January 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump published
notice in the Federal Register of a Memorandum entitled: Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Negotiations and Agreement (82
FR 8497). According to the
Memorandum, the President directs the United States Trade Representative to
withdraw the United States as a signatory to the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) and to permanently withdraw the United States from TPP negotiations.
Labeling:
Revision to Nutrition Facts Label for Meat and Poultry Products
On January 19, 2017, the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published notice
in the Federal Register of a proposed rule to amend the nutrition labeling
requirements for meat and poultry products (82
FR 6732). Included among FSIS’s
proposed changes are a revision to the format and appearance of the Nutrition
Facts label and an update to the list of nutrients that are required or
permitted to be declared. The comment
period for the proposed rule closes March 20, 2017.
Dairy:
Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board Meeting Scheduled
On January 21, 2017, the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing
Board (Board) published notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Board will
conduct a public hearing for Milk Marketing Areas 1—6 on February 27, 2017, at
10 a.m. in Room 309, Agriculture Building, 2301 North Cameron Street,
Harrisburg, PA (47 Pa.B. 396). According to the notice, “[t]he purpose of
the hearing is to receive testimony and exhibits concerning the level and
duration of the Class I over-order premium to be effective April 1, 2017.”
AgLaw HotLinks:
- USDA’s country-of-origin labeling to be amended to include venison - Meatingplace
- Lab-grown meat decreases risk of animal disease/other contaminants and is humane - FoodSafetyNews
- A deer at a private PA hunting preserve found to have chronic wasting disease - LancasterOnline
- “Consumer inflation up; food prices unchanged” - Meatingplace
- FDA releases draft rules regarding animals with genome engineering - Nature
- “Rural America matters to all Americans” - TheConversation
- EPA nominee assured senators he would enforce Chesapeake Bay cleanup agreement - LancasterOnline
- “Farm lending activity slows” - FeedStuffs
- Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare releases annual report on animal welfare - MeatPoultry
- Agribusinesses and farm groups ask to take part in NAFTA renegotiations - AgriPulse
- “Rules for Safe Food for Canadians Act reach final review phase” - FoodSafetyNews
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