July 12 NALC webinar to detail USDA’s label approval requirements for meat, poultry
“With the recent expansion of labels that may be generically approved, it is important to understand what the new requirements are and how they have changed.” — John Dillard
By Tru Joi Curtis
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
June 28, 2023
Fast facts
- NALC webinar on July 12 to discuss USDA’s label approval requirements.
- John Dillard of OFW Law will be presenting.
- Registration is online.
(353 words)
Download related photo of Dillard
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Given the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent expansion of
the type of meat and poultry labels that may be generically approved, it’s even more
important that companies know what category their label falls in, said Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC Principal John Dillard.
Prior to being marketed, all meat and poultry labels are subject to approval by USDA’s
Food Safety and Inspection Service, or FSIS. These labels are divided into those that
receive generic approval and those that must obtain specific or “sketch” approval.
Sketch approval labels require additional documentation as stated by FSIS regulations.
John Dillard, principal at OFW Law, will discuss meat and poultry labeling in a NALC webinar on July 12. USDA recently expanded the type of meat and poultry labels that may be generically approved. Registration for the webinar is online. (Courtesy photo)
Meat and poultry producers need to know which approval process is required for their
product to ensure consumers are properly informed.
“When discussing meat and poultry labeling, it is crucial to understand the approval
process and how to substantiate claims, as well as which of the two categories labels
fall under,” Dillard said. “With the recent expansion of labels that may be generically
approved, it is important to understand what the new requirements are and how they
have changed.”
Dillard will provide an introduction to USDA’s approach to label approval, generic
approval and circumstances where prior approval is required during the NALC’s upcoming
webinar, “Meat and Poultry Labeling – An Introduction to USDA’s Label Approval Requirements.”
The webinar will be held on Wednesday, July 12, at 11 a.m. Central/noon Eastern.
“I look forward to sharing my knowledge of the USDA’s label approval process,” Dillard
said.
The webinar is free of charge and registration is online.
“We are thrilled to have John present this extremely beneficial information,” NALC
Director Harrison Pittman said. “With the recent expansion of what may be generically
approved, this information is very important, especially considering that every meat
and poultry label is required to go through this process.”
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About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural
and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal
policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many
others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information
to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and
works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural
Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal
access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to
participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as
soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
# # #
Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu