ABSTRACT

Food law is a rapidly developing area, with interest being driven at the consumer, handler and farm level. This introductory textbook provides an overview of the concepts necessary for an understanding of food law and regulations, providing the non-specialist reader with a more comprehensive understanding of food systems from production to consumption.

Food Systems Law first introduces the US legal system and then moves on to explain the Federal Regulation of Food systems, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the Farm Bill, the single most important piece of legislation which impacts the way in which federal resources are used within the food industry. The following chapters provide concise explanations of key topics including food safety, food labeling, organic certification and food waste, with examples from US law and policy included. Importantly, the book also addresses key topics which overlap with food law, such as environmental, health and agricultural law.

This textbook is geared towards a non-legal audience, particularly students of interdisciplinary food studies and food science who are taking food law courses, as well as those studying agricultural law, food policy and environmental law. It will also be of interest to professionals working in the food industry and those who want to learn more about how food is regulated.

chapter 1|9 pages

Introduction to food systems and food law

chapter 2|11 pages

The United States legal system

chapter 3|18 pages

Federal regulation of food systems

chapter 4|10 pages

The farm bill

chapter 5|30 pages

Food safety

chapter 6|10 pages

State and local regulation of food

chapter 7|12 pages

Food labels

chapter 8|8 pages

Organic certification

chapter 9|11 pages

International trade *

chapter 10|14 pages

Labor in the food system *

chapter 11|10 pages

Environmental law

chapter 12|8 pages

Food security and food access

chapter 13|6 pages

Food loss and food waste

chapter 14|7 pages

Health and the law

chapter 15|13 pages

Contracts

chapter 16|12 pages

Insurance and liability