Food & Nutrition

FDA to Conduct Second FOP Nutrition Labeling Focus Group Study  

FDA announced that the agency is planning to conduct a second focus-group study, “Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling Focus Groups 2,” to complement and build on FDA’s ongoing quantitative research on front-of-package (FOP) labeling on packaged foods. The focus-group study will begin after the conclusion of the agency’s ongoing FOP experimental study. The focus groups will gauge participant reactions to FOP schemes on mock beverage and non-beverage food product labels to allow FDA to further refine its understanding of how consumers react to various elements of these schemes. Additional information about FDA’s FOP focus groups and materials can be found here.

Registration Opens for Public Meeting and Listening Sessions on Added Sugars

Registration is now open to attend FDA’s virtual public meeting on strategies for reducing added sugar consumption on November 6, 2023, followed by virtual public listening sessions on November 7-8, 2023. The public meeting and listening sessions intend to explore what federal agencies, communities, and private industry are doing to encourage the reduced consumption of added sugars. During the meeting, the agency will provide background on added sugars and discuss strategies for reducing added sugars in other countries, feature panel sessions on reducing added sugar consumption, and share opportunities for participants to submit questions throughout the listening sessions. The deadline to submit questions for consideration during the public meeting, including the panel sessions, are due October 12, 2023, and registration to attend the listening sessions ends October 20, 2023. A docket will be available on regulations.gov beginning November 6, 2023, to receive comments related to the event topics. Comments must be submitted on the docket by January 22, 2024.

USDA FNS Awards Cooperative Agreement to Support WIC Modernization

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) announced a cooperative agreement of $10 million to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in support of its ongoing efforts to modernize and enhance the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). This agreement will allow the Bloomberg School and its collaborators to provide financial, technical, and evaluation support to WIC state agencies to streamline access to WIC through outreach and data matching with other federal programs. This announcement is part of USDA’s broader plan to modernize, strengthen, and expand the reach of the program. 

Congress Introduces Fresh Produce Procurement Reform Act

Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and David Valadao (R-CA) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Fresh Produce Procurement Reform Act, which would increase USDA's procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables. The bill, introduced in both the House and Senate, would require USDA to 1) partner with existing growers and fresh produce distributors to procure a greater amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, 2) distribute U.S.-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to local food banks, schools, youth-serving organizations, tribal governments, and other nonprofit community members serving nutrition insecure populations, 3) strengthen access to a variety of U.S.-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to recipients in need by including at least seven types of U.S.-grown fresh fruits in vegetables to vulnerable communities living in poverty, and 4) provide opportunities for a variety of high-quality produce sourced, packed, and distributed from growers and distributors of all sizes.

Trust for America’s Health Publishes Annual State of Obesity Report 

Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) published its annual State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America report, highlighting the increase in obesity rates in the U.S. In the report, TFAH found that obesity rates have increased for all population groups over the past two decades, with an increase in the number of states with adult obesity rates at or above 35%. The report outlines several recommendations to help address these findings, including to 1) fully fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) chronic disease and obesity prevention programs to reach every state, 2) make healthy school meals available for all students and increase access to SNAP and other nutrition support programs, 3) implement a mandatory front-of-package (FOP) labeling system on all processed foods to help consumers make informed choices, and 4) eliminate business-cost deductions for advertising unhealthy food to children, among others.

Senators Send Letter Requesting GAO Review FDA Food Safety Efforts 

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-T) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that the agency undertake a review of FDA’s efforts to effectively implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and reduce the prevalence of foodborne illnesses. In the letter, Senators request that GAO undertake a review that addresses 1) key trends in foodborne illness since FSMA was enacted, 2) the extent FDA has implemented FSMA to reduce foodborne illness, 3) challenges and barriers FDA faces implementing FSMA, 4) the impact following the recommendations outlined in the Reagan-Udall Foundation report on the agency’s food safety efforts, and 5) new resources or authorities FDA requires from Congress to reduce foodborne illness.  

USDA Releases Food Safety Study Results on Consumer Kitchen Behavior 

USDA released results from the final year of its five-year study that observed how consumers prepared meals and their food safety behaviors, including participants’ thermometer use for ground pork sausage, handwashing, and cleaning and sanitizing of food preparation surfaces. These studies intend to help USDA better understand consumer behaviors in the kitchen to design communications that can help consumers more safely prepare food. According to the results, 44% of participants washed their hands before meal preparation, 50% of participants checked the doneness of sausage patties using a thermometer regarding thermometer use, and 34% of participants contaminated the kitchen during meal prep. The study was produced by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as part of their efforts to highlight the importance of safe food handling practices.

CPSC Publishes Notice Requesting Information on PFAS 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a notice requesting information on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in commerce or potentially used in consumer products. In the notice, CPSC requests information on potential exposures associated with the use of PFAS in consumer products, as well as potential human health effects associated with exposures to PFAS from their use in consumer products. In July 2023, FDA released a list of select food ingredients and food contact substances currently under agency review, which includes the assessment of PFAS in an effort to phase-out these substances from products on the market. Comments on this notice are due November 20, 2023.

Agriculture

USDA Invests to Prevent and Reduce Food Loss and Waste

USDA announced an investment of $25 million to expand efforts to prevent and reduce food loss and waste. The funding will expand and support several of NIFA’s core programs, including the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program and the Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program, to reduce food loss and waste, get surplus wholesome food to individuals, and develop linkages between food producers, providers, and food recovery organizations. This investment, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is part of a joint agency initiative between USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE). 

USDA Invests to Strengthen Global Food Security Using U.S. Commodities

USDA announced an investment of $455 million to strengthen global food security and international capacity-building efforts. This investment will leverage U.S. commodities sold within USDA’s Food for Progress program to help strengthen short- and long-term food security through the development of agricultural value chains and trade-promoting activities. The investment will also identify U.S. commodities that can be sold within USDA’s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program to help address hunger and promote education through new school feeding projects.  

Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee to Host Public Meeting

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC) is hosting an in-person meeting on November 2, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST and November 3, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. The purpose of this meeting is to examine the full spectrum of fruit and vegetable industry issues and provide recommendations and ideas on how USDA can tailor programs and services to better meet the needs of the U.S. produce industry. The deadline to submit written comments and register for in-person oral comments is October 23, 2023.

Global

FAO Releases High Impact Initiatives on Food Systems Transformation

FAO, in collaboration with other United Nations (UN)-based agencies, published its High Impact Initiative on Food Systems Transformation aimed at mobilizing commitments to ensure food security and healthy diets for all. The 12 High Impact Initiatives call on international organizations, financial institutions, the private sector, civil society partners, the scientific community, indigenous peoples, and all relevant stakeholders to assist countries in transforming agrifood systems and accelerating progress towards meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The Initiative builds on the outcomes of the Food Systems Summit 2021 (UNFSS) and the recent UNFSS+2 Stocktaking Moment 2023, aiming to leverage investment, innovation, science, data, and technology. 

FAO to Host Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation

FAO is hosting its first-ever Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation from September 25-27, 2023, at FAO headquarters in Rome. The event will provide a forum for representatives of FAO Members, producer organizations, research and academic institutions, development agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector to engage in dialogues on innovations and pathways to efficiently produce more nutritious, safe and accessible animal source foods with a reduced environmental footprint, and contribute to local and diversified livestock systems that are more resilient to shocks and disruptions. The event is intended to 1) raise awareness of the contribution of sustainable livestock production to implementing the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, 2) share information and knowledge on the strategic direction and technical developments in sustainable livestock production worldwide, and 3) establish priorities for the mobilization and pooling of scientific, technical, and financial resources to achieve global sustainable livestock transformation.

Fun Fact: In ancient times, pepper was once so valuable that it was used as currency.