In City of New York v Ball, 2024 NY Slip Op 24179 [Sup Ct, Albany County 2024], the Albany County Supreme Court upheld a determination of the Commissioner (“Commissioner”) of the Department of Agriculture and Markets...more
On Jan. 1, 2024, California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12) went into full effect, requiring certain farm owners, operators and distributors of covered farm animals such as egg-laying hens, commercial breeding pigs and veal calves...more
Several states have made attempts to provide the animal production industry protection against unlawful interference by enacting so-called Ag-Gag laws. A wave of litigation is challenging these laws as unconstitutional,...more
The winding path of Ag Gag legislation in Iowa has become significantly straighter in 2024. First, in January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed lower court rulings that blocked Iowa state laws seeking...more
Would FDA testing of feedlots for bacteria promote safer vegetables? Would it decrease the availability of and increase price of meat? You might ask, what do feedlots have to do with vegetables? Concentrated Animal Feeding...more
In a major decision with widespread impact, the United States Supreme Court upheld California Proposition 12. ...more
The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts has entered a stay in a lawsuit challenging Massachusetts’s Question 3 as it applies to whole pork meat, in light of a pending a Supreme Court case regarding...more
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently released long-awaited proposed regulations to implement Proposition 12, the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative (the proposed regulations). ...more
PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a family of human-made chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” and are found in a wide range of products used by the food supply industry. Because of their...more
In the midst of the pandemic, meat processing facilities have struggled to meet demand while protecting employees. Governmental regulations, orders and guidelines often have seemed to be inconsistent with one another. Even...more
Schumer Urges USDA To Delay Hemp Rule - U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to “delay the issuance of a U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program final rule until 2022 and...more
Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Clinic (Clinic) submitted a petition on June 9 to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), urging it to adopt a labeling approach for the emerging category of cell-based...more
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recently issued a COVID-19 industry guidance intended for facilities that process or pack meat, dairy, or produce to support a safe and clean environment for workers. In...more
In Washington: Administration officials said that they plan to wind down the coronavirus task force at the end of May and shift management of the public health response back to the federal agencies....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Last week, the President issued an Executive Order under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to protect the continued operation of the nation’s meat and poultry processors during the current COVID-19...more
Administration Issues Meat-Packing Executive Order Falling Short of Original Plan. On April 28, President Trump issued an Executive Order entitled “Executive Order on Delegating Authority under the DPA with Respect to Food...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have jointly released coronavirus-related interim guidance for meatpacking and meat...more
This week, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) to protect the meat and poultry production supply chain. In the Executive Order, entitled, Delegating Authority Under The...more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have issued interim guidance on COVID-19 considerations for meat and poultry processing workers and employers. This...more
While the White House plans to sign an executive order to keep meat and poultry processing facilities open, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...more
What the FDA Requires for Food Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulatory requirements for food companies, including manufacturers and importers, remain largely unchanged...more
House leaders and White House negotiators are closing in on a bipartisan deal “to replenish funds in the small-business loan program that ran out of money” last week. The $500 billion measure would also “provide money for...more
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) updated two labeling guidelines involving animal raising claims in December. Labeling Guideline on Documentation Needed to Substantiate Animal Raising Claims...more
LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS & STANDARDS - France to Ban Mass Culling of Male Chicks - France’s agriculture minister has reportedly announced that the country will prohibit the mass culling of male chicks shortly after they...more
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued an updated Labeling Guideline on Statements That Bioengineered or Genetically-Modified Ingredients or Animal Feed Were Not...more