Food Law

"We want to be a forum for guidance on legal issues for smaller businesses and farmers, including community and urban farmers, and for craft brewers, which continue to grow in Illinois. Legal issues range from regulatory labeling and licensing needs to intellectual property considerations, especially for food innovators.”
Molly L. Wiltshire

The Food Law Section will serve as a comprehensive resource for lawyers who practice in or are interested in the food law space to learn about best practices. It will also provide a forum to discuss global developments and emerging food production; debate issues; and review, monitor, and propose relevant legislation.

The section council hopes to address issues and legislation around food technology and regulations that could have global consequences. The section will help to integrate the legal issues and needs of local farmers and independent food producers. As the landscape of food law continues to mature, the group hopes to address urban farming, craft brewing, and alternative meat industries.

The scope of the Food Law Section:

• To educate ISBA members on food law and policy;
• To monitor developments of and in the practice area itself;
• To provide timely analysis of local, national, and global food laws and policies;
• To train and enhance the professional skills of practitioners in this area through continuing legal educational programs;
• To review, monitor, and propose legislation impacting food law, consumers, producers, and regulators;
• To discuss immerging food production, harvest, and distribution technologies and their risks and regulations;
• To provide resources for Illinois businesses and industry.