If you could write your own food regulatory act, how would it differ from the current regime?
It would simplify the current one, but it would use many of the same terms. So many of the things that Congress adds to a statute are totally redundant and irrelevant. I keep making the point in class that the food safety law in England of 1263 does not improve one iota upon the food safety law of 2011. So it could be simplified, but it’s something that’s a product of history and it would be incredibly difficult to try to simplify it. People would just go berserk and say no, we have a jurisprudence, let’s stick with it.
Sarah Klein
As part of our continuing series of interviews with practicing attorneys, the Food Law Society recently talked to Sarah Klein, Staff Attorney with the Food Safety Program for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Ms. Klein represents CSPI in the regulatory arena, commenting to USDA and FDA on issues relating to food safety programs, including risk-based inspection, imported food, school lunch safety, and irradiated food labeling, among others.
Robert J. Uram
The Food Law Society is publishing a series of interviews with attorneys whose practices relate to food law or policy. Our second interview is with Robert J. Uram, a partner in the Real Estate, Land Use, Natural Resources and Environmental practice group in Sheppard Mullin’s San Francisco office. He is a founding member of the firm's Organic Food and Fiber Law group.
Mr. Uram represents organic food distribution and production companies and 501(c)(3) organizations that support research to improve organic farming and that support the growth of organic production. With the assistance of his partners, he represents these organizations on a broad range of issues, including organic compliance, corporate, contract, labor, and intellectual property issues.
Becky Goldberg
The Food Law Society recently interviewed Rebecca Goldberg, Staff Attorney for the Food and Drug Administration, Office of the Chief Counsel, about her work and the broader field of food law.
Becky Goldberg graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007. In 2008-2009, she clerked for the Hon. Robert D. Sack of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Following her clerkship, Becky began work at the FDA, where she focuses primarily on the regulation of food and dietary supplements.