(NAFB) – The Department of Agriculture is seeking comments regarding the labeling of meat and poultry products made using cultured cells derived from animals.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking Thursday to solicit comments. FSIS will use the comments to create future regulatory requirements for labeling the food products. In March of 2019, USDA and FDA announced a formal agreement to jointly oversee the production of human food products made using animal cell culture technology and derived from the cells of livestock and poultry. The agreement seeks to ensure that such products brought to market are safe and truthfully labeled.

Under the agreement, FDA will oversee cell collection, growth, and differentiation of cells. FDA will transfer oversight at the cell harvest stage to FSIS. FSIS will then oversee the cell harvest, processing, packaging, and labeling of products.

There is a 60-day period for comment on the issue. Learn more and comment at fsis.usda.gov.