#foodlaw

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Welcome to the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, provided by the University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. This blog provides readers with information on risk management issues important to Maryland agriculture, upcoming events, and new materials that may interest readers.

Federal Liability Protections for Donating Food

Sarah Everhart

Jan 10, 2017
2 min

Federal Liability Protections for Donating Food

By Sarah Everhart Disposing of consumable food is an unfortunate reality on many farms and in many food businesses. Sometimes food that is disposed can be donated. In a previous post, Paul wrote about the legal protections for Maryland farmers who allow organizations such as the Maryland Food Bank onto farms to glean food from fields. There are also legal protections and tax incentives for the direct donation of food to non-profit organizations. The federal Bill Emerson Goo

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Labeling Guidance for Animal Raising Claims: What’s New?

Admin

Jan 3, 2017
2 min

Labeling Guidance for Animal Raising Claims: What’s New?

By Ashley Ellixson This article was published in the December 3rd Edition of the Lancaster Farmer. Have you seen labels on your food or at the grocer that say “raised without the use of hormones” or “raised without antibiotics”? These phrases, as well as the more common terms like “organic” and “grass fed,” refer to the way that the source of animal for a meat or poultry was raised. These labels need to be approved and evaluated before they can be used. USDA’s Food Safety a

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Food Labeling Continues: Allergen Warnings

Admin

Nov 8, 2016
2 min

Food Labeling Continues: Allergen Warnings

By Ashley Ellixson It’s been quite a while since I addressed food labels, so today I am jumping back in and talking about allergen warnings. I am sure most of you know there is such a thing as an allergen warning but what it is and who needs to have one on their label may not be so clear. The Laws The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) of 2004 is an amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make it easier for consumers to identify and

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FDA Issues Final Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food

Admin

May 4, 2016
3 min

FDA Issues Final Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food

By Ashley Ellixson This article first appeared in the April 26th Edition of the Delmarva Farmer. If you have not heard of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) yet, you will likely be hearing about it more this year. We have also written posts on the blog! What is FSMA? In short, it is legislation amending the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to mandate preventive-based controls across the food supply chain

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Two More New England States Look at GMO Labeling

Admin

Mar 15, 2016
2 min

Two More New England States Look at GMO Labeling

By Ashley Ellixson If you read last week’s post on Vermont’s genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling bill, you should be up to speed on what is going on at the state level when GMO labeling is discussed. To review, on April 23, 2014, Vermont became the first state requiring labeling of GMO foods. Vermont’s legislature approved a bill requiring raw agricultural commodities and processed foods offered for sale in Vermont retail stores to display special labeling (with c

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Vermont’s Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Labeling Law: UPDATED!

Admin

Feb 23, 2016
2 min

Vermont’s Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Labeling Law: UPDATED!

By Ashley Ellixson Not too long ago, I gave an overview of genetically modified organisms and labeling laws in respect to them. To summarize, there is currently no Federal law requiring a label to state that a product contains genetically modified products. It is also important to note there is no Federal definition of genetically modified. With that said, on April 23, 2014, Vermont became the first state requiring labeling of GMO foods. Vermont’s legislature approved a bi

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Feb 19, 2016
3 min

Weekly News Roundup: February 19th Edition

By Mayhah Suri Reminder CSA Membership Agreement Samples Available Many of you running CSAs will soon be signing members up for the new season. If you need help drafting the agreement or a document to compare your current one against, check out the AREC & ALEI CSA Membership Agreement page http://go.umd.edu/CSAPage. The page has a model agreement guide, sample agreements, and videos to help you develop a membership agreement that works for your farm. Justice Scalia’s Passing

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Frequently Asked Questions: Which Address Do I Place On My Food Label When I Make Food At Community