The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Safety Inspection Service, along with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, confirmed that they’re starting a new sampling program assessing whether antibiotic residue is detected in cattle intended for the “raised without antibiotics” market.
The sampling is part of the USDA’s efforts to strengthen the substantiation of animal-raising claims, while protecting consumers from false and misleading labels. The agency announced the initiative initially in June on the heels of President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American economy.
Sampling instructions for the program were issued in FSIS Notice 48-23. Establishment eligibility for sampling was determined based on information collected by an establishment profile questionnaire through FSIS Notice 36-23, Questionnaire for Raised without Antibiotics Special Labeling Claims on Beef. Eligible establishments are those that slaughter cattle and are producing products that bear RWA claims such as “No Antibiotics,” “No Antibiotics Ever,” “Raised Without Antibiotics,” “Antibiotic Free,” “No Antibiotics Administered,” or related claims.
As part of the sampling process, FSIS will collect both liver and kidney samples from eligible cattle, and analyze them using a method that targets over 180 veterinary drugs from major classes of antibiotics.
If antibiotic residues are detected, FSIS will issue a letter to the establishment concerning the sample results and will advise the establishment to conduct a root cause analysis and take action to prevent misbranded products in commerce. If an establishment does not receive a letter, their test results are negative and consistent with the labeling claim.
The results of this sampling will help inform whether FSIS should require that laboratory testing results be submitted for the “raised without antibiotics” claim or whether the agency should start a new verification sampling program.
FSIS first updated its guidelines on “grass-fed” and “free-range” claims in 2019.
