A formal agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was announced on January 30, 2018 to increase coordination and cooperation between the two federal agencies.
The agreement focuses on interagency collaboration regarding:
- Food facilities where USDA and FDA currently share jurisdiction. USDA regulates meat, catfish, poultry and egg products and FDA regulates all other foods. The agreement looks to identify and potentially reduce the number of food processing facilities subject to dual regulations.
- FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule. As required under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), FDA has established food safety standards for fruits and vegetables. Congress intended for FDA and USDA to partner on farm inspections and the implementation of produce safety measures.
- Biotechnology products regulation. Recent federal initiatives designed to improve regulatory oversight of biotechnology products have led to this FDA and USDA commitment to modernize the regulation of biotechnology and to “develop efficient, science-based regulatory practices for products of biotechnology.”
Regulatory consulting firm FDAImports.com strives to keep industry apprised of FDA, USDA, and Customs policy changes, guidelines, and regulations. Contact us when you have questions about how to navigate the changing regulatory climate.
