Mission Statement: To provide an international forum for the exchange of information on the scientific issues associated with food laws, regulations and policy.
Meeting Information
Virtual: TBD
In Person: IAFP 2025
July 27, 2025, Huntington Convention Center, Cleveland, Ohio
How to Join
Involvement in committees and professional development groups (PDGs) offers Members the opportunity to share a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Members of committees and PDGs are the architects of the Association structure. They plan, develop and institute many of the Association's projects, including workshops, publications and educational sessions. Technical challenges facing the food safety industry are discussed, examined and debated. Members may volunteer to serve on any number of committees or PDGs that plan and implement activities to meet the Association's mission.
Membership on a PDG is voluntary (not by appointment) and may vary from year to year.
IAFP Members can manage their PDG involvement by logging in to the IAFP Web site. At the Member Dashboard, click “Edit Profile.” Your profile has two tabs: Contact Info and Professional Info. Select the Professional Info tab and update the PDGs you would like to participate in. We highly recommend that you contact the PDG chairperson for each group to let them know you have joined their PDG.
Non-members can contact Dina Siedenburg, dsiedenburg@foodprotection.org, for more information.
1. The mission statement of the Food Laws PDG was discussed, and a poll was decided to conduct final changes. The PDG is tabling the recommendation to change the mission statement pending discussions during the year, and will reconsider recommendation for 2025.
Board Response: Board Response: The Board thanks you for your update.
2. Recommendation to appoint April Bishop as vice chair.
Board Response: Board Response: Agree.
2023 Board Response to Recommendations
The current mission statement for the Food Law PDG is, “To provide an international forum for the exchange of information on the scientific issues associated with food laws, regulations and policy.” After discussion, the Food Law PDG voted to edit the mission statement as follows:
“To provide an international forum for the exchange of information on the risks and scientific issues associated with food laws, regulations and policy.
Board Response: The Board would like to ask for clarification on the language. Is the PDG discussing actual risks associated with actual law/regulation, or the risk addressed by the law?
2022 Board Response to Recommendations
None.
2021 Board Response to Recommendations
1. The Food Law PDG recommends the Board approve Rosetta Newsome as Chair for one additional year, Melanie Neumann as Vice Chair, and Eric Edmunds as Vice Chair-Elect.
Board Response: Agree.
2020 Board Response to Recommendations
None
2019 Board Response to Recommendations
To approve Eric Wolf as Vice Chair of the PDG.
Board Response: Agree
2018 Board Response to Recommendations
None.
2017 Board Response to Recommendations
Recommend approval of Rosetta Newsome as Vice Chair of the Food Law PDG beginning at the IAFP 2017 Annual Meeting.
Board Response: Agree.
2016 Board Response to Recommendations
Recommend approval of Tim Jenkins as Chair beginning at the IAFP 2017 Annual Meeting.
Board Response: Agree
2015 Board Response to Recommendations
None.
2014 Board Response to Recommendations
Approve Christie Gray as Vice Chair of the Food Law PDG starting at the 2014 IAFP meeting.
Board Response: Approved.
Approve Tim Jenkins as Vice Chair of the Food Law PDG starting at the 2015 IAFP meeting.
Board Response: Approved.
Recommend Lester Brown as a speaker for the Ivan Parkin Lecture for next year. He is the author of Full Planet, Empty Plates: The New Geopolitics of Food Scarcity, which was released in September 2012.
Board Response: This recommendation will be forwarded to the selection committee.
Chevron Deference and the Food IndustryDec 12, 2024
The Chevron doctrine was founded in the 1984 Supreme Court decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. That decision stated that if federal legislation is ambiguous or leaves an administrative gap, the courts must defer to a regulatory agency's interpretation if that interpretation is reasonable. In the majority decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondi, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling that concluded that this type of judicial deference to a regulatory agency is inconsistent with the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), which requires the reviewing court to determine the meaning of the law. While the Court did overturn Chevron deference, it left in place cases like Skidmore v. Swift, which say that an agency interpretation may be due some amount of respect; however, it is unclear what agency actions will garner respect from courts during review.
Learning Objectives: - The potential implications of Loper Bright overturning Chevron deference for the food industry - The response from industry and/or consumer groups since Loper Bright was decided - Other court decisions that have affected and/or will affect Chevron deference - How we may expect this to affect agency rulemaking going forward
Harrison Pittman, PresenterThe National Agricultural Law Center
Eric Edmunds, ModeratorThe Acheson Group
The Global Burden of Foodborne Disease - Results and perspectives of WHO’s Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG)Feb 9, 2016
The WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group is providing estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases, according to age, sex and region, for a defined list of causative agents of microbial, parasitic, and chemical origin, thereby strengthening the capacity of countries to assess the burden of foodborne disease and increasing awareness and commitment for the implementation of food safety standards. These estimates provide valuable information for food safety professionals.
This webinar is sponsored by Wageningen University, Marcel Zwietering, Leon Gorris, Arie Havelaar and an anonymous MMRA PDG Member.
Arie Hendrik HavelaarEmerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida
Marcel Zwietering, ModeratorWageningen University
The Food Safety Modernization ActJan 20, 2011
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act has passed the US Congress and is expected to be signed by the President. Caroline Smith DeWaal, who has spent years in working toward passage of a food safety bill, provides an overview of the bill
Organized by the Food Law PDG.
Presenters
Caroline Smith DeWaalFood Safety Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest
Assuring Safety of Imported Foods: Public and Private Roles in Risk-Based System - Food Safety LegislationMar 18, 2010
Organized by the Food Law PDG.
Presenters
Caroline Smith DeWaalInt'l Food Safety Policy Manager, FDA CFSAN
