The EU has set tight new limits on the endocrine disrupting chemical perchlorate in fresh produce, teas, infant formula and baby food.

A US government-funded study has shown bisphenol A (BPA) can produce effects even at low doses as the controversial food packaging chemical displays a non-monotonic dose-response curve, challenging standard toxicological practice and raising question marks about the studies used to back regulated product safety.

Rep. Steve Watkins (R-Kan.) has asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to speed review of a sought-after gluten-free labeling rule, which FDA proposed in November 2015 but has been delayed since its initial plan to finalize in 2017.

Lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced bipartisan legislation that would provide $1 billion in funding to support state food supply chain efforts. Meanwhile, Iowa reached a Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) agreement with USDA for state-inspected meat plants and Western Growers voiced its opposition to a California property tax ballot initiative.

More federal leadership on COVID-19 food supply chain issues and relief programs to support farmers and small businesses were among the actions called for by Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden (Del.) in a virtual roundtable today (May 20) hosted by Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.). 

Non-essential travel restrictions will be extended another month along the US borders with Mexico and Canada, the Department of Homeland Security announced. Meanwhile, EPA released a proposed rule meant to limit the agency from issuing guidance, Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden said the US food supply chain suffering from a lack of leadership but not food and a survey of school nutrition professionals revealed concerns about major financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More details on direct payments to farmers under USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) were announced by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and President Donald Trump this morning (May 19), in a briefing at the White House that also includes remarks by the president critical of cattle imports.

Dairy groups called on USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to use all tools at his disposal to ramp up international food aid efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on nations most vulnerable to dairy supply disruptions.

The House cleared a fourth COVID-19 aid package Friday (May 15). Meanwhile, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue was appointed to the White House coronavirus taskforce, House Republicans introduced a bill that would provide meat processing plants liability protection from coronavirus claims, USDA was hit with a lawsuit seeking documents on the relocation of two research agencies and FDA issued guidance on sanitizing food transport vehicles that have been used to carry human remains.