The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) slammed comments made by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf at a hearing on March 29 regarding cell-cultured meat.
Speaking to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies on the FDA’s fiscal year 2024 budget request, Califf referenced climate change and the need for additional cell-cultured research to mitigate the impact of climate change.
“By his own admission, the FDA’s role is to ensure food safety, but Commissioner Califf’s comments today indicate that he intends to bring his agency into climate and environmental discussions while promoting cell-cultured meat,” NCBA’s Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said in a statement. “This viewpoint is extremely disappointing to America’s cattle producers whose stewardship of the land already does more to protect our environment than fake meat production ever will.”
NCBA said FDA indicated a desire to promote cell-cultured products when the agency announced its second pre-market consultation for cell-cultured chicken. The agency said that it is “ready to work with additional firms that are developing cultured animal cell food” and “will issue guidance to assist firms that intend to produce human food made from cultured animal cells.”
