2025 Food and Supplements Outlook: FDA Human Foods Program’s Last Acts Before the New AdministrationBy Diane C. McEnroe, Emily Marden, Deeona R. Gaskin, & Kevin A. SforzaFood Law, March 2025This article contains short summaries of significant recent developments regarding FDA’s regulation of food and dietary supplements, including labeling issues and product safety considerations. The authors also include other recent developments: updates to the Coordinated Framework on biotechnology, increased public attention on UPFs, and a new interim process for Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regulation of new animal food ingredients.
Food and Beverage News and TrendsBy Stefanie Fogel, Maggie Craig, Sharon May, & Amy PressmanFood Law, March 2025FDA issues final guidance on lead in baby food; revises fifth edition of Q&A on food allergen labelling requirements; publishes final guidance on public health importance of non-listed food allergens; releases guidance on LMRTEs; warns industry about toxic mushrooms; and more.
Labeling Energy Drinks: Tackling a Monster of a ProblemBy Meredith P. Mulhern, J.D. & Michael S. Sinha, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.Food Law, March 2025Energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements, meaning they are not directly regulated by the FDA before hitting store shelves. Instead, energy drink labels follow the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) guidelines. Under DSHEA, energy drinks face lax labeling regulations, which leaves consumers unaware of the dangers of high caffeine contents, stimulative additives, proprietary blends, and excessive sugar. The authors discuss the dangers of energy drinks, the current regulatory framework and the problems it causes, why these problems should be corrected, and potential policy changes to fix those problems.
Editorial: Generated AI’s Use in Farm and Food ContentBy Ryan TippsFood Law, February 2025Artificial intelligence is justifiably being used in various sectors of the food and agricultural law industry, yet on the content side, we’re seeing more and more pressure to use generated AI information.
How Bezos, Zuckerberg, Gates, and Musk Are Trying—Or Not Trying—to Make Meat SustainableBy Seth MillsteinFood Law, February 2025Our food systems are in serious need of an overhaul. Over the last 60 years, per-capita meat consumption has roughly doubled, and is now at unsustainable levels. During that same period of time, the number of billionaires in the world has increased dramatically as well. This confluence of trends raises an important question: what, if anything, are the world’s billionaires doing to fix our food systems, and help us transition into a more climate-friendly way of eating?
Soil Health WeekFood Law, February 2025Participate in Soil Health Week happening March 3-9, 2025!
Farmer’s Daughter: How a Federal Court Pushed Agriculture Biotech Back DecadesBy Amanda ZaluckyjFood Law, January 2025Early in December, the Northern California District Court vacated rules adopted in 2020 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The lawsuit, brought by anti-bioengineering activists (pretending to be worried about family farms), reinstates a regulatory framework in place since 1986, while the technology was only in its infancy—and not yet even commercially available.
Food for Thought: Intellectual Property Protection for Recipes and Food DesignsBy Kurt M. Saunders & Valerie FluggeFood Law, January 2025This article considers how intellectual property law has been applied to protect recipes and food designs, along with broader issues relating to how these rights may overlap and their implications for competition.
The Role of Intellectual Property in Food and Beverage InnovationBy Aaron HallFood Law, January 2025Intellectual property plays a crucial role in the food and beverage industry, serving as a key driver of innovation and competitiveness. Effective IP protection enables companies to safeguard novel recipes, flavors, and manufacturing processes, maintaining a competitive edge and preventing unauthorized use by competitors. A thorough IP strategy involves trademarking brand identity and packaging, copyrighting literary works, and patenting novel processes and ingredients. By leveraging IP, companies can drive business growth, expand into new markets, and increase revenue streams. Discover how a robust IP strategy can help food and beverage companies maintain market dominance and stay ahead of the competition.
Food Safety — An OverviewFood Law, December 2024The United States food regulatory system has developed piecemeal over the last century, generating new rules and regulations in response to emerging food problems. As a result, responsibilities for specific food safety concerns are allocated to various government agencies. A key to effective regulation within this complex and fragmented system is interagency cooperation, cooperation between these agencies, and public and private stakeholders.
Industrial Hemp Production ContractsBy Rusty RumleyFood Law, December 2024Because hemp production is relatively new to today’s growers and attorneys, the contracts that we have seen in use largely resemble contracts for traditional specialty crops and oilseed crops. While there is some overlap between the crops, the differences in licensing, common clauses found in hemp contracts, the differences with the hemp plant itself, and the high costs of planting and harvesting a hemp crop necessitates a more thorough contract.
Report Details Impact of Glyphosate Loss on Farm Bill ProgramsBy AGDAILY ReportersFood Law, December 2024The analysis reveals how such a loss would affect key areas of the farm bill, including crop insurance, conservation, nutrition, and commodity programs. By leveraging open-source research and economic modeling, the report underscores the ripple effects that glyphosate restrictions could have on farmers, consumers, and the environment.
U.S. Domestic Hemp Production ProgramFood Law, December 2024You must have a license to grow hemp in the United States. If your state or tribe has a USDA-approved hemp plan or is in the process of developing a hemp plan, you will apply to and be licensed under its hemp program. If your state or tribe does not have a pending or approved hemp plan, you may apply for a USDA hemp production license.
10 Careers in Food Science: Driving Innovation and Sustainability in the Food IndustryBy Michelle MillerFood Law, November 2024Careers in food science not only focus on improving food quality but also on addressing challenges like food security, waste reduction, and sustainability. Here are the top 10 careers in food science that are shaping the future of what we eat.
Documentary Review: A Look at 2023’s ‘No Farmers, No Food’By Michelle MillerFood Law, November 2024The documentary No Farmers, No Food: Will You Eat The Bugs?, which was released to relatively little fanfare in 2023, offers a sobering look at the escalating food crisis around the world, highlighting the devastating impact that government policies and environmental agendas are having on small farmers, the agricultural sector, and ultimately, food security.
Food Labeling and Food Advertising in ChinaBy Nicolas Coster, Nicole Zheng, & Fatéma AdamjeeFood Law, November 2024The food law and related standards in the People’s Republic of China put forward strict requirements on the management of food labeling (A) and food advertising (B), aiming to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, as well as the healthy development of the food market.
Comparative Analysis of US and Turkish Food Law: Safety, Regulations, and Global ImplicationBy Cem CongarFood Law, October 2024In the contemporary era of accelerating globalization, the movement of food from one end of the globe to the other has become a quotidian occurrence. Food safety is of paramount importance in this rapidly expanding trade, representing a critical concept for human health. Food is one of the most fundamental necessities of human life, and it is evident that food lacking in hygienic conditions represents a significant threat to public health. In this context, food safety can be defined as a set of measures designed to prevent physical, chemical and biological hazards from reaching food.
Understanding Food Law in Mexico: A Guide for U.S. StakeholdersBy Julio J. CopoFood Law, October 2024This article provides an overview of Mexico’s food law framework, key regulatory bodies, significant legislation, and opportunities, offering a brief but comprehensive guide to anyone involved in the food industry, looking to enter the Mexican market.
Viewpoint: Climate change is real … and farmers are the solutionBy Charles R. Stack, MPH, BCES, MASCEFood Law, October 2024As a graduate student at the University of Illinois in the early 1980s, I learned about the immense complexity of the climate riddle and how much farmers contribute to the solutions. I bristle when I read articles blaming American farmers for methane emissions from “cow farts,” dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico from poor fertilizer practices, and other perceived acts that damage our environment.
Byproducts From Farming: It’s More Than Just Food!By Michelle MillerFood Law, September 2024Agriculture is so much more than just food production. It’s the backbone of countless industries, providing essential raw materials that shape our lives in ways we often overlook.
Farm to Fork FeastFood Law, September 2024Make plans to support the Alliance by attending the Farm to Fork Feast on October 12 at McDonald Farm in Naperville.
Italian Legislation on Food LawBy Claudio SantarelliFood Law, September 2024The fundamental principles of the legislation include transparency, risk analysis, risk prevention, consumer protection, and the free movement of safe products within the internal market of the Union and with third countries.
A Breakdown of the Food Dollar: Where Does the Money Go?By Michelle MillerFood Law, August 2024According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are three different ways to break down the food dollar—and we can learn different things from each of them.
Towards Harmonized Front-of-Pack Labelling: Empowering Consumer Health ChoicesBy Chiara MoscatelloFood Law, August 2024Front-of-pack labels and nutrition logos can improve the population's knowledge of the foods they purchase and consume, safeguard health and reduce the risk of developing pathologies, and promote correct and careful nutrition.
The Flinn ReportFood Law, July 2024The Flinn Report is a weekly summary of regulatory actions of state agencies published in the Illinois Register and action taken by the Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
