This webcast was organized by IFT's Muscle Foods Division.

Animal Welfare and clean labeling continues to be a hot topic, especially when a claim involves the (non) use of antibiotics.  Navigating the regulations is tricky for all segments of the supply chain, from farmers all the way through manufacturing.  It is critical to understand what is needed to support animal welfare claims and provide the correct information to USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) in order to use the claim and launch both successful and accurate products.  This webinar will focus on variations of antibiotic claims, what is needed to substantiate these claims, claim synergies and important FSIS key dates and rule updates.

Learning objectives:
1) Attendees will be able to identify
- the various claims that may be applied to meat and poultry products and any qualifiers needed
- what substantiation is needed from suppliers to support the claims
- what substantiation is needed from their internal control to support the claims
- any 3rd party auditing requirements
- where claims may be placed on the label and any other requirements
- claim synergies – for example “raised without the use of antibiotics” and “never administered antibiotics”

2) Attendees will learn how save valuable time by being able add suppliers to their program without having to resubmit for full sketch approval.

3) Attendees may utilize the information to initiate process improvements to streamline their internal program requirements if they are suppliers, and also if they are producers how to most efficiently launch products with these types of claims.

4) Attendees will be able to ask the regulators at FSIS first-hand any questions regarding claims or the approval process.

Speakers:
Tammie Ballard
FSIS Labeling and Program Delivery Staff, USDA
Tammie Ballard is a Food technologist in the Labeling and Program Delivery Staff (LPDS), in the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Staff has primary responsibility for development and delivery of USDA policies and programs on food labeling, food standards, and food additives used in the safe production of meat, poultry, and egg products distributed in domestic commerce and exported to the United States.
During her 35 years of service with USDA she has work as an Emergency Loan Officer for Farmers Home Administration, a Food Inspector for FSIS and during college she was a summer intern with the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service. Currently, Tammie is a senior staff member who develops regulations and policies on special statements and claims on labeling products of the meat, poultry and egg product industries. Her primary focus is on the evaluation of labeling claims related to animal husbandry, natural and organic labeling regulations.

Tawana Harrington
Staff Officer, Labeling and Program Delivery Staff
Office of Policy Program Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Tawana Harrington is a Staff Officer in the Labeling and Program Delivery Staff, in the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  As part of the Office of Policy and Program Development, the Staff has primary responsibility for the development and delivery of USDA policies and programs on food labeling, food standards, and food additives used in the production of meat, poultry, and egg products distributed in domestic commerce and exported in the United States.  She has been with the Agency for over 20 years focusing primarily on labeling, ingredient approval, animal production claims and egg product labeling.

Length: 45 minutes
Contact Hours: 0.75
Date Recorded: April 26, 2018

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