Food, Agriculture & Environmental Law
The focus of this guide is the intersection of U.S. food, agriculture and environmental law.
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Government Agencies
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Food Safety
- U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
- Economic Research Service (ERS)
Provides research and analysis in the following areas: agricultural economy, food and nutrition, food safety, and resources and environment.
- National Agricultural Library
One of five national libraries of the United States and houses one of the world's largest collections devoted to agriculture and its related sciences.
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
A federal agency within the USDA, NIFA was established by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill); invests in and supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture, including the competitiveness of American agriculture, safety of the U.S. food supply, and sustainability of natural resources and the environment.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Agriculture
Provides information relating to agriculture and the protection of human health and the environment.
Organizations
- American Agricultural Law Association (AALA)An association of law and policy professionals who serve all facets of the agricultural and food communities.
- American Farm Bureau FederationAn independent, non-governmental organization governed by and representing farm and ranch families united for the purpose of analyzing their problems and formulating action to achieve educational improvement, economic opportunity and social advancement and, thereby, to promote the national well-being.
- Center for Agricultural and Shale Law(PennState Law)
Conducts agricultural and shale law research and outreach activities with a specific focus on those issues of importance in Pennsylvania. - Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS)(Vermont Law School)
Engages in law and policy work that addresses food systems challenges related to the environment, public health, the economy, food security, and animal welfare. - Farm and Energy InitiativeCollaboration between the Institute for Energy and the Environment and the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law School. Projects examine legal and practical issues at the intersection of energy and agriculture with the goal of improving domestic agricultural energy management.
- Farmers' Legal Action Group (FLAG)A nonprofit law center providing legal services and support to family farmers and their communities in order to help keep family farmers on the land.
- Federal Good Food Purchasing CoalitionWorks to spur a more just, healthy, resilient, and sustainable food system through values-aligned food purchasing and food service at the federal level.
- Food & PowerProvides original reporting, resources, and research on market concentration in the food system.
- Food & Water WatchA grassroots, advocacy organization that works for a healthy, livable environment and economic fairness.
- The Humane Farming Association (HFA)A nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of farm animals, particularly focusing on factory farm confinement of animals in cages and crates.
- The National Agricultural Law Center (NALC)(University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture)
Provides objective, scholarly, and authoritative agricultural and food law research and information. - National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)Represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories.
- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)An alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities.
- North American Meat Institute (NAMI)A trade association that represents companies that process 95 percent of beef, pork, veal and 70 percent of turkey products in the US and their suppliers.
- Organic Trade Association (OTA)A membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America.
- U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA)Connects farmers and ranchers to food and agriculture stakeholders to co-create sustainable food systems.
- Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): Food and FarmsA nonprofit organization founded more than 50 years ago by scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) whose mission is to use rigorous, independent science to solve the earth's most pressing problems.