Alternative protein maker Memphis Meats sent a letter to the White House detailing a jurisdictional road map for its product, which could help it reach store shelves more quickly than initially anticipated.
Joined by the North American Meat Institute, the letter ditches the phrase “clean meat” and replaces it with “cell-based meat and poultry.” Further, the letter outlines a regulatory framework that includes both the USDA and the FDA.
United States Cattlemen’s Association President Kenny Graner issued the following statement:
“USCA was the first to take action on the emergence of lab-grown and plant-based protein alternatives at the beginning of the year by submitting our petition for rulemaking to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). We shined a spotlight on this issue demanding companies to accurately label their products, and we are now seeing those efforts come to light.
“USCA remains concerned about the use of the term ‘meat,’ but the commitment to come to the table to propose solutions is a step in the right direction. USCA continues to call on everyone in the cattle industry to get involved in this dialogue. We hope to see you at the upcoming Cattle Producer’s Forum this September 5th and 6th in Billings, Montana, where this will be a key topic.
“We’ve always advocated a three-prong approach in the jurisdiction of this product — involving Congress, USDA, and FDA. Today’s announcement is a positive step forward, but there is still work to be done as we look to how these products are ultimately labeled and whether they are included at the meat counter. USCA will continue to push for accurate labeling that maintains the integrity of the word “U.S. Beef”. We appreciate the effort being taken by Memphis Meats today and look forward to keeping the dialogue open as this product moves towards its public release date. USCA will continue to support accurate and truthful labeling on all U.S. beef products ”
