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Cattle Group Backs Cell Cultured Regulatory Legislation

Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has introduced the Cell Cultured Meat and Poultry Regulation Act of 2019. It codifies the responsibilities of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and Food and Drug Administration over food products grown in laboratories from animal cell cultures. Nebraska Cattlemen Association Executive Vice President Pete McClymont says his group supports the measure.

He says this legislation should help consumers understand completely what they are purchasing.

Hyde-Smith’s bill would place cell cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry under FSIS jurisdiction by amending the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, the primary laws governing FSIS jurisdiction and oversight responsibilities. McClymont says that’s positive.

McClymont says this measure should help lead to proper labeling of meat products and that the U.S. needs to do what other countries like Canada does in making sure their consumers know specifically what they’re getting and where it comes from.