K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Polish Government Vows To Introduce New Bill To End Ritual Slaughter

November 6, 2020 from the Vosizneias

"The Polish government has scrapped a bill that would have banned the production of kosher and halal meat, but vowed to introduce a new one."

"Agriculture Minister Grzegorz Puda announced Wednesday that the bill, already passed by parliament, will not be brought to the president for a signature. Instead, a new law will be drafted and submitted to parliament."

"The development is the latest in a series of conflicting legislative actions on ritual slaughter that illustrate the right-wing government’s difficulties in implementing a policy it believes in, but which has the potential of hurting many farmers who belong to its base."

"Puda did not explain the reason for the decision, but he seemed to suggest that the original legislation was not restrictive enough on ritual slaughter, a $1.8 billion industry in Poland, most of it for export."

"The bill, which also included a ban on raising animals for fur and would have beefed up the legal discretion available to veterinarians and animal welfare inspectors, took into account the interests of farmers and entrepreneurs, Puda said in explaining the move."

"A parliamentary committee had initially excluded ritual slaughter from the bill, but that provision was reintroduced before it passed. Last month, the Polish Senate introduced an amendment that postponed the ban’s implementation to 2025."

"Puda said the new bill will be “adjusted to E.U. laws,” which he said ban ritual slaughter. In reality, European laws allow for slaughtering animals without stunning for religious reasons, as is required by Judaism and Islam. The new bill is expected to include a proposed ban on ritual slaughter for export."

FDA proposes updating allergy label if risky portion of ingredient is removed

October 28, 2019 FoodDive:

• "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed exempting an ingredient derived from a major food allergen if the protein has been eliminated or altered to the point where it no longer poses a risk to a person, the agency said in a Federal Register filing published on Oct. 28. The public has 60 days to comment on the measure."
• "The FDA proposed that an ingredient could obtain an exemption by submitting scientific evidence to the agency. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 currently requires foods to declare the presence on the product label of what it calls "major food allergens," such as milk, sesame, eggs, fish, tree nuts, crustacean shellfish, wheat, peanuts and soybeans. "
• 'Food allergens are an increasingly bigger issue for U.S. consumers to worry about in the items they buy. In 2013, the CDC published a study showing food allergies among children increased about 50% between 1997 and 2011. The top food allergy in adults is shellfish — which nearly 3% have — followed by 1.9% with a dairy allergy and 1.8% with a peanut allergy."
• "As more shoppers worry about allergens in the foods they eat, the latest proposal from the FDA could give food manufacturers some wiggle room when it comes to the ingredients they use."
• "While the Federal Register notice still needs to be subjected to public input and other hurdles before it could go into effect, allowing ingredients considered a major allergen into food as long as the part that causes harm to humans is no longer prevalent could allow consumers to enjoy food and beverages they enjoy."
• "For example, if part of an ingredient that people are allergic to, such as lactose, is removed, consumers could still drink the milk. This also could reopen markets for dairy, nut, egg and other producers who have seen consumers turn away from their products because of the growing risk of an allergic reaction."
• "An estimated one in four Americans, or 85 million people, spend $19 billion annually to avoid purchasing products with the top nine allergens, according to research published earlier this year by Food Allergy Research & Education. The data also found 53% of those surveyed want clearer food allergen labeling to identify the presence of milk, egg, soy, peanut, wheat, fish, shellfish, tree nuts and sesame."
• "Although labeling often indicates if they are processed in facilities that also process allergens, cross-contamination remains a leading cause of food recalls. Of 456 food recalls in 2017, 218 of them were caused by undeclared allergens, according to Food Safety Magazine."

Porter World Trade Recalls Ron Jon Surf Shop Sippy Cup Due to Violations of Federal Lead Content and Phthalates Bans

October 28, 2020 - from CPSC:

Ron Jon Surf Shop Sippy Cup: The plastic characters on the recalled Sippy Cup contain levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban and contain levels of a regulated phthalate that exceed the prohibition of specific phthalates. Lead and banned phthalates are toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.

This recall involves 13.5-ounce Ron Jon Surf Sippy Cups. The main body of the cup is either orange, blue, pink, or green. There is a rubber-like grip material around the cup. The rubber-like material has images of turtle, crab, fish, boat, and sea grass and the RON JON SURF SHOP design. The product has UPC number 1082-0405 printed on the bottom of the product.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled Sippy Cup away from children and contact Porter World Trade for instructions on how to return the product for a full refund.

Sold At: Ron Jon Surf Shops in Miami, Sunrise, Medley, Cocoa Beach, Orlando, Tampa and Panama City, Fla.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Ship Bottom, N.J.; and Stellarbay store in the Tampa, Fla. International Airport, from May 2014 through March 2020 for about $7.

Consumer Contact: Porter World Trade at 800-282-2777 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at recall@porterworldtrade.com, or online at www.porterworldtrade.com and click on “Product Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.

ORB New Location - Kosher Korner @ Hard Rock Stadium

October 16, 2020 from the ORB:

The ORB is pleased to announce the certification of Kosher Korner at gate 132 in Hard Rock Stadium. Kosher Korner is Glatt Meat and Pas Yisroel and opened during all Dolphin games.

Please note, the soft pretzels are certified NOT Pas Yisroel.

Trump Administration Extends Free Meals for Kids for Entire School Year

October 9, 2020 from the USDA

"U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending flexibilities to allow free meals to continue to be available to all children throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year. This unprecedented move is part of USDA’s unwavering commitment to ensuring all children across America have access to nutritious food as the nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. "

USDA is extending waivers through June 30, 2021, that:

• Allow SFSP and SSO meals to be served in all areas and at no cost;
• Permit meals to be served outside of the typically required group settings and meal times;
• Waive meal pattern requirements, as necessary; and
• Allow parents and guardians to pick-up meals for their children.

These program flexibilities allow schools and local program operators to operate a meal service model that best meets their community’s unique needs, while keeping kids and staff safe. Additional flexibilities are being granted on a state-by-state basis, as required by law, to facilitate a wide range of meal service options and accommodate other operational needs.

Early in the pandemic, USDA adapted its summer feeding site finder to ensure parents and children would be able to easily locate sites that were providing meal service. With this new announcement, the Meals for Kids interactive site finder will continue to collect data, voluntarily provided by USDA’s state agency partners, about operating sites including location, meal service times, and additional information.

USDA Extends Free Meals for Kids Through December 31, 2020

August 31, 2020 from the USDA

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will extend several flexibilities through as late as December 31, 2020. The flexibilities allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children into the fall months. This unprecedented move will help ensure – no matter what the situation is on-the-ground – children have access to nutritious food as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. USDA has been and continues to be committed to using the Congressionally appropriated funding that has been made available.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is extending a suite of nationwide waivers for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) through the end of 2020, or until available funding runs out. This includes:

• Allowing SFSP and SSO meals to be served in all areas and at no cost;
• Permitting meals to be served outside of the typically-required group settings and meal times;
• Waiving meal pattern requirements as necessary; and
• Allowing parents and guardians to pick-up meals for their children.

Collectively, these flexibilities ensure meal options for children continue to be available so children can access meals under all circumstances. USDA is taking this unprecedented action to respond to the needs of its stakeholders, who have shared concerns about continuing to reach those in need without enlisting the help of traditional summer sites located throughout communities across the US. While there have been some well-meaning people asking USDA to fund this through the entire 2020-2021 school year, we are obligated to not spend more than is appropriated by Congress.

Importantly, the summer meal program waiver extensions announced today are based on current data estimations. Over the past six months, partners across the country have stood up nearly 80,000 sites, handing out meals at a higher reimbursement rate than the traditional school year program. USDA has continuously recalculated remaining appropriated funds to determine how far we may be able to provide waivers into the future, as Congress did not authorize enough funding for the entire 2020-2021 school year. Reporting activities are delayed due to States responding to the pandemic; however based upon the April data we currently have available, FNS projects that it could offer this extension, contingent on funding, for the remaining months of 2020. USDA will continue to actively monitor this rapidly evolving situation and continue to keep Congress informed of our current abilities and limitations.

Since the start of the public health emergency, FNS has been maximizing existing program services and flexibilities to ensure those in need have access to food through our 15 federal nutrition assistance programs. To date, USDA has provided more than 3,000 flexibilities across these programs. USDA has also leveraged new and innovative approaches to feeding kids, including a public-private partnership that provided nearly 40 million meals directly to the doorsteps of low-income rural children. For more information on FNS’ response to COVID-19, visit fns.usda.gov/coronavirus.