CALF_News_October_November_2019

8 CALF News • October | November 2019 • www.calfnews.net 625 pounds of boneless beef. For the identical amount of lab-cultured meat, the same quantity of nutrients a live animal would have consumed must go into that lab-grown product. Lawrence is unconvinced this new technology is more efficient than today’s method of raising cattle. He believes the company saves no nutrients or energy and may even utilize more resources than are cur- rently used in beef production. “Focus on doing a fantastic job of producing a healthy, safe and nutritious protein product,” Lawrence advises beef producers.“Consumers should ask, ‘What is the best nutrition for my body?’ Look at the protein, amino acid content, iron, B vitamins and lipid content.” Oversight is key The National Cattlemen’s Beef Asso- ciation (NCBA) is the oldest and largest national trade association for U.S. cattle producers. NCBA’s priority is to produce the safest, most nutritious and affordable beef products for consumers. A growing number of deceptive food product labels, especially those from lab-cultured meat, have alarmed the NCBA. This organization is working with the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop fake meat oversight protocols. Danielle Beck, NCBA’s senior director of government affairs, says the USDA and FDA have agreed on lab- grown meat oversight procedures. The FDA will oversee the primary evaluation of materials, controls, initial cell collection and development, and the proliferation and differentiation of cells through the time of harvest. FDA and USDA will collaborate during the tran- sition from FDA to USDA oversight during the pre-harvest stage. “Then the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) will have jurisdiction over harvesting cells cultured from livestock for producing meat on the day of processing, packaging and label- ing,” Beck explains.“USDA will also be in charge of post-market enforcement, including product recalls and determin- ing the nutritional value.” According to Beck, California compa- nies Memphis Meat and JUST, INC., are in research and development stages until the USDA and FDA agree on risk and hazard considerations, and nomenclature. Currently, these products cannot legally enter the market . There is a mandatory pre-approval process in which every company must develop USDA-approved labels before products can be legally sold. USDA inspects cattle harvesting facilities and businesses that provide additional daily process- ing because there are unique food safety risks with products derived from meat. “Our producers have gladly complied with a stringent set of food safety regula- tions for years because they recognize the importance of putting consumers first,” Beck reports.“We believe the lab-grown products that will eventually compete with beef should be held to the same set of rigorous standards to main- tain consumer safety. “Not only could disparaging terms like clean meat be utilized, but the packag- ing could mislead consumers. We urged the USDA to use strict labeling with primary oversight of lab-grown products because this is the best way to ensure the varied claims our producers hope to compete with . Disparaging allegations like clean meat will not be on the packag- ing under USDA jurisdiction.” The NCBAwould like more clarifica- tion on antibiotic and hormone use in the production of lab-grown meat. The FDA has agreed to conduct pre-market evalua- tions of all production processes and test the safety of finished products for consum- ers. If cell-based meat manufacturers assert their products are equal to beef cuts, they should provide evidence to justify their claims. Independent organizations such as the American Meat Science Institute should be able to test products. “Several plant-based products on the market are labeled in a way that is confusing to consumers,” Beck warns. “We want our producers to know we’re looking at how we can best bring those products into compliance with the law. Plant-based meat alternatives are less than one percent of the market share. Per capita consumption of beef is at an all-time high; this is the fourth consecu- tive year that beef demand has increased. Consumers clearly crave beef and its taste. It’s hard to replicate that.” It is difficult to speculate on the impact plant- and meat-based alterna- tives will have on the industry.“Do your job and continue to communicate the benefits of beef production,” Beck concludes.“It’s safe, affordable and deli- cious. Tell your story from nutrition and environmental standpoints . As long as beef producers tell their story, the facts are on our side.” The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) has also worked to ensure cell- based product food labels are not decep- tive or misleading. Sarah Little, NAMI’s vice president of communications, says accurate labeling enables consumers to make informed choices about the prod- ucts they buy. “As an industry, we support a fair and competitive marketplace that lets con- sumers decide what food products make sense for them,” Little explains.“That is why the Meat Institute worked hard to ensure the processing of cell-based meat and poultry products be regulated, including labels approval by the USDA. This ensures a level playing field for all meat products in the marketplace.” Little sees consistent and robust demand from the American consumer and says that more than 95 percent of Americans enjoy meat, with taste and affordability as key considerations. “The role cell-based products will play in meeting growing consumer demand is unknown,” Little concludes.“Kudos, however, to those innovative scientists for their determination; imitation is the highest form of flattery.”  FABRICATINGYOUR FOOD Continued from page 6 "Tell your story from nutrition and environmental standpoints. As long as beef producers tell their story, the facts are on our side." – Danielle Beck