Bioengineered disclosure compliance deadline is approaching
Starting on Jan. 1, 2022, all retail food and beverage packaging, including dairy products, must comply with the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard rule.
While it is nearly one year away, the mandatory compliance date for the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard rule is fast approaching, and it has implications across the dairy supply chain. Starting on Jan. 1, 2022, all retail food and beverage packaging, including dairy products, must comply with the standard, known in the food industry as the “BE Rule” or “NBFDS.” This means that all mandatory bioengineered (BE) disclosures must be indicated on retail dairy products, and companies must maintain records to substantiate their BE labeling decisions.
For many dairy processors, making a BE labeling decision and maintaining the necessary documentation has been a long process. Obtaining necessary BE information about flavorings, enzymes and other ingredients from third-party suppliers has been a challenge, as has the exact scope of documentation needed to be maintained by the processor.