USDA AMS Launches Investigation Into Egg Board Dealings

Written by Katharine Richter

On October 20, 2015, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, “sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack…calling for an investigation into the American Egg Board (AEB).”  The allegation levied against the board involves an anti-competitive campaign aimed at eliminating a non-egg mayonnaise from Whole Food’s shelves. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Services (AMS) is currently investigating whether federal laws or administrative regulations have been violated. 

The AEB is part of the USDA AMS “check-off” program, which was created in 1937 and is designed to “promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity.”  According to Senator Lee’s letter to Vilsack, information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act has led to acquiring 600 pages of correspondence which suggest that the AEB staff and USDA officials may have used their power and resources to target Hampton Creek, a producer of vegan mayonnaise.  The aim was to “reduce marketplace demand” for the product because of concerns of the impact on the egg industry.

According to Senator Lee’s letter, the AEB may have violated a law which states that funds received may not be for political purposes.  Further, the USDA AMS issues guidelines that “forbid any advertising considered disparaging or those that depict other commodities in a negative or unpleasant light via either over or subjective video, photography, or statements.”

According to agri-pulse, the USDA review “involves a substantial amount of material and while AMS expects to complete the review in an expeditious manner, a complete review will take some time.”  

USDA Plan to Help Small Farmers with Certification

Written by Stephen Kenney


On September 15, 2015, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator Anne Alonzo spoke about the expansion of a pilot program that was designed to help small and mid-sized growers and cooperatives meet the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification.  The certification verifies that a farm follows the food safety practices and recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration.  The safety practices focus on producing, packing, handling, and storing fruits and vegetables in a safe manner that minimizes risks of microbial food safety hazards.  Produce purchasers are increasingly requiring that suppliers attain GAP certification.

The pilot program was referred to as the GroupGAP program.  Small and mid-size farmers can often find it difficult to attain the GAP certification because the audit process can be expensive.  The program enabled growers, food hubs, and cooperatives to work together to attain certification and share the cost of the audits.

In July 2015 Michigan State released a study on how the food safety pilot program fared in Michigan.  The study found that GAP certification could meet the certification needs of small farms.  It was also found that the program could be affordable.  The audit costs were $492 per-farm.  The study estimated that individual farm savings through GroupGAP certification versus individual GAP certification was about $700. 

AMS will share details of the future program at the October 23rd-25th Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fresh Summit meeting in Atlanta.

USDA Deputy Administrator Discusses Voluntary GMO Labeling Program

  On June 25, 2015, The House Agricultural Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research held a public hearing reviewing USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) programs. 

 

  At the hearing, Deputy Administrator of Livestock Poultry and Seed Program for USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, Dr. Craig Morris, testified regarding AMS recently approving a process verified program that allows companies to voluntarily seek third-party verification to market their products as non-GMO that are 99.1% or above non-genetically engineered material.  According to the AMS program, if a company’s product is verified, they are permitted to sell that product using the USDA Process Verified Shield.

  Chairman of the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research Rodney Davis (R-IL), remarked in his closing statements that USDA has “the capability and resources to provide valuable oversight of these voluntary marketing claims” and that the U.S. currently has “a robust regulatory review process to ensure human, plant and animals health, as well as environmental health.”

Written by Katharine Richter - Research Assistant

June 26, 2015