2025 Articles

The Most Important Food Policy Changes of 2025 So Far By The Civil Eats Editors December 2025 A sampling of important policy changes that may impact the practice of food law from Food Policy Tracker.

New Law Will Open Markets and Processing Options for Illinois Farmers By Liz Moran Stelk October 2025 House Bill 2196 removes unnecessary barriers that have held back poultry producers, including increases in the number of birds processed per year on-farm, selling directly at farmers markets, and removal of 30-day ownership rule for consumers to process poultry and livestock for personal, family, or cultural use.

Patents and Trade Secrets in Food Law By Adam Sussman December 2025 Ever been curious how Coca-Cola has persevered as a prominent brand for over 100 years? By understanding how trade secrets and patents serve competing interests and public policies, a company can optimize its intellectual property strategy and achieve an enforceable right to exclude while maintaining confidentiality of the details of its trade secret.

Perspective: A Farmer’s Legacy Shouldn’t Be a Tax Nightmare for Their Kin By Amanda Zaluckyj June 2025 The article warns that the upcoming reduction in the federal estate tax exemption could force farm families to sell land to pay taxes. With farm wealth tied up in land and equipment, the lower exemption creates uncertainty and threatens generational farms. It urges families to plan ahead despite unclear future tax laws.

Perspective: The U.S. Produces Plenty of Food — Other Factors Make Us Food Insecure By Amanda Zaluckyj May 2025 Did you know that almost 40 percent of all food in the United States goes to waste? Food that is safe to eat, nutritious, and available goes in our collective trash cans. We throw away 133 billion pounds of food each year. It’s a staggering statistic, especially when you consider that some of our neighbors are food insecure.

Recent Reports of Foodborne Illnesses Highlight Need for Better Food Safety July 2025 Recent outbreaks of norovirus, as well as a widespread E. coli outbreak at a popular fast-food chain, have highlighted concerns about the safety of our food supply.

Report From IFT FIRST Expo 2025: Debating MAHA, AI, FD&C, and Other Acronyms By Dave Fusaro August 2025 Learn more about the Food Technologists’ IFT FIRST meeting and expo that took place this year on July 13-16 in Chicago.

The Role of Intellectual Property in Food and Beverage Innovation By Aaron Hall January 2025 Intellectual property plays a crucial role in the food and beverage industry, serving as a key driver of innovation and competitiveness. Effective IP protection enables companies to safeguard novel recipes, flavors, and manufacturing processes, maintaining a competitive edge and preventing unauthorized use by competitors. A thorough IP strategy involves trademarking brand identity and packaging, copyrighting literary works, and patenting novel processes and ingredients. By leveraging IP, companies can drive business growth, expand into new markets, and increase revenue streams. Discover how a robust IP strategy can help food and beverage companies maintain market dominance and stay ahead of the competition.

Soil Health Week February 2025 Participate in Soil Health Week happening March 3-9, 2025!

A Steak by Any Other Name: How States Are Shaping the Future of Cultivated Meat May 2025 In the first quarter of 2025, state legislatures across the United States have proposed bills regulating cell-cultured meat, including both labeling requirements and sales restrictions. Cell-cultured meat, also known as “lab-grown meat” or even “fake meat”, is produced by cultivating animal cells in a controlled environment, offering a potential alternative to traditional livestock farming.

Tariff Mitigation Strategies: 20 Options for Manufacturers August 2025 Tariffs are truly “A Tale of Two Cities.” Some manufacturers are celebrating, thanks to higher domestic demand and an opportunity to sell unused capacity. For others, tariffs have significantly hurt business—resulting in painful price increases, inventory valuation challenges, stalled M&A, and reduced demand.

That’s a Food Job! August 2025 Learn about resources to explore different career opportunitites in the food industry, from podcast recommendations to a job board dedicated to food careers!

The Time for Digitalization in Food & Beverage Is Now By Andy Hanacek September 2025 The food & beverage digital age is here, and for those processors who were waiting to see other processors swim successfully before jumping into the pool, now is the time to do more than just dip a toe in the shallow end.

The Time for Digitalization in Food & Beverage Is Now, by Food Processing By Andy Hanacek July 2025 The food & beverage digital age is here, and for those processors who were waiting to see other processors swim successfully before jumping into the pool, now is the time to do more than just dip a toe in the shallow end.

Urge Illinois Attorney General To Hold USDA Accountable August 2025 Review the Petition to Attorney General Kwame Raoul, asking for legal action against the Untied States Department of Agriculture for breaking its contract with the State of Illinois for the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, known as IL EATs.

Victory! Federal Court Orders Terminated USDA Farmer and Community Grants To Be Reinstated September 2025 The United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order granting the restoration of six USDA grants for farmers and communities that support tree planting, growing food in underserved communities, training new farmers, and helping farmers adopt climate-friendly practices.

Voila! The Pop-Up Timer for Turkeys Saved the Day By Adam Sussman October 2025 You can thank Eugene Beals for the meat thermometer you will use this Thanksgiving to ensure your turkey is cooked to perfection.

What Is Mentorship and Where to Find It in the Food Industry? June 2025 When asked about their career journeys, many successful professionals credit mentorship as a defining factor in their growth. No one advances in a vacuum; those who actively seek and apply guidance from experienced individuals set themselves apart. From academic advisors to professional mentors, having someone to offer insights, challenge blind spots, and encourage risk-taking can make all the difference.