Category: Issue 550
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California Foie Gras Ban Struck Down
A California federal court has held that the state law prohibiting the sale of foie gras resulting from the forcefeeding of ducks or geese is preempted by a federal law regulating the distribution and sale of poultry products. Association des Éleveurs de Canards et d’Oies du Québec v. Harris, No. 12-5735 (C.D. Cal., order entered January…
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NOP Clarifies Conservation Requirements for Organic Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) has published draft guidance clarifying the agency’s interpretation of regulations that require organic operations to “maintain or improve the natural resources of the operation, including soil and water quality.” Intended for accredited certifying agents and certified operations, the guidance provides examples of production practices that support the…
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Chemical Hazards, Foodborne Illness Cost Estimates Chief Topics of Upcoming NACMPI Meeting
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will host a January 13-14, 2015, public meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) at the Patriot Plaza III building in Washington, D.C. Topics of discussion at the meeting will include (i) FSIS’s identification and management of chemical hazards…
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FDA Responds to NRDC’s Objections to Non-Nutritive Sweetener Advantame
Responding to objections submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed its decision to allow the use of advantame as a non-nutritive sweetener and flavor enhancer in foods intended for human consumption. FDA apparently received 12 responses to its May 21, 2014, final rule on advantame,…
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Shook Authors Discuss Purported Class Actions Against Food Cos. in Law360
Shook, Hardy & Bacon Agribusiness & Food Safety Partner Jim Muehlberger and Associate Jara Settles discuss the modern consumer protection landscape in a January 2, 2015, expert analysis published in Law360. Noting that food lawsuits “tend to garner significant notoriety,” the authors focus on recent litigation against Whole Foods Market Inc. alleging that the health-food purveyor “benefited…
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McDonough Offers Perspectives to Law360 About Food & Beverage Trends for 2015
Shook, Hardy & Bacon Agribusiness & Food Safety Co-Chair Madeleine McDonough was quoted in two January 2, 2015, Law360 articles about various legal, legislative and regulatory issues expected to affect food and beverage manufacturers in the new year. Given the September 2014 convictions of former Peanut Corp. of America owner Stewart Parnell and two other company…