USDA, FDA Announce Joint Regulation of Cell-Cultured Livestock and Poultry Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have announced after “several thoughtful discussions” that both agencies “should jointly oversee the production of cell-cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry.” The agencies’ statement announces a “joint regulatory framework wherein FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation” that will transition “during the cell harvest stage” to USDA, which “will then oversee the production and labeling of food products derived from the cells of livestock and poultry.”

“This regulatory framework will leverage both the FDA’s experience regulating cell-culture technology and living biosystems and the USDA’s expertise in regulating livestock and poultry products for human consumption,” the announcement concludes. “USDA and FDA are confident that this regulatory framework can be successfully implemented and assure the safety of these products. Because our agencies have the statutory authority necessary to appropriately regulate cell-cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry the Administration does not believe that legislation on this topic is necessary.”