Law Course Catalog

7842. Food Law and Policy

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: None.

Grading Basis: Graded

A complex web of agricultural and food laws substantially influences what ends up on our plates, and ultimately affects the health of individuals, communities, and their ecosystems. These policies, and the regulatory mechanisms supporting them, play a vital role in determining health outcomes for our nation and the level on environmental impact to shared natural resources such as air, water, soil and biodiversity. In the context of these policies, this course will cover diverse ecological issues through the lens of federal environmental statutes. The course will also cover key public health issues related to food production and distribution as the U.S. Farm Bill, nutrition assistance programs, food access, obesity and malnutrition, food safety and foodborne diseases, genetically engineered foods, organic and other certification schemes, and the debate about food systems and sustainability.