New beef labels in limbo at White House

The USDA had pushed manufacturers to voluntarily label the processed meat to allow consumers to follow the temperature guidelines, but many still do not, according to the Star’s investigation. 

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association acknowledges that there have been “disease outbreaks associated with mechanically tenderized beef” and says, “enhancing the safety of beef products is a priority for the U.S. beef industry and resources will be directed to improving the systems used to produce non-intact beef products.” 

Of the 132 regulations and proposals pending review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 90 have been sitting longer than the deadline the agency sets for review. The White House is typically given 30 to 90 days to review regulatory proposals.

The USDA alone has nine rule proposed or final rules still under consideration, six of which have passed the 90-day deadline. Nutrition standards for national school lunch programs, for example, have sat at the OMB since last March.