OFW Law’s Ken Ackerman was featured in an Agri-Pulse article discussing the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA). In the article, “While Foreign Purchases of US Land Surge, USDA’s Reporting Penalties Plunge,” Mr. Ackerman discussed his experience in representing clients on AFIDA matters. AFIDA is a law administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Under …
OFW Law’s Ackerman Discusses AFIDA in Agri-Pulse Read More »
On November 1, 2022, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Janet Woodcock had a virtual meeting on “Regulatory Pathways for Hemp Products, including Cannabidiol (CBD)” with representatives of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Secretary and the Executive Office of the President. This meeting was announced …
FDA’s Woodcock Holds Meeting on Regulatory Pathways for Hemp and CBD Read More »
At the end of September, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hired cannabis policy expert Norman Birenbaum as a Senior Public Health Advisor at FDA’s Center for Regulatory Programs. Mr. Birenbaum comes to FDA with a deep background in regulation in several state cannabis departments. Most recently, in New York State he served …
Today, September 21, 2022, at the United Nations General Assembly, President Biden announced $2.9 billion in assistance to address global food insecurity and urged other countries to follow suit. President Biden stressed: “If parents cannot feed their children, nothing else matters.” This announcement comes as the Biden administration is taking serious steps to combat …
On July 26, 2022, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Terrorism held a hearing on “Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms.” The hearing largely addressed the recently introduced S. 4591, “Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act” (the “CAOA”). The witnesses included: Malik Burnett, Medical Director, Maryland Department …
On May 18, 2022, the White House Office of Public Engagement held its first biweekly stakeholder call providing updates on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health planned for September 2022. The purpose of the session was to provide preliminary information about upcoming virtual regional public listening sessions to hear ideas and learn …
White House Updates Plans for Nutrition Conference Read More »
The White House announced the long-awaited White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, to be held in Washington this September, with the specific date yet to be announced. As the White House announcement said: “The Biden-Harris Administration has set a goal of ending hunger and increasing healthy eating and physical activity in the U.S. by 2030 …
On February 23, 2022, the Administration published in the Federal Register a Notice of “Continuation of the National Emergency Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic” to extend the national emergency declaration from March 13, 2020. The 2020 Declaration was due to expire on March 1, 2022 and, with this Administrative Order, the national emergency continues, …
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an online reporting portal, located at USDA’s Farmer Fairness website, to advance the goals of the “Biden-Harris Administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain” (the Action Plan). By way of review, …
On December 23th, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) targeting impersonation scams. Impersonation scams generally involve the scammer impersonating a trusted source to convince targets to send money or personal information. These scammers often pretend to be a part of government or well-known businesses. To add legitimacy, …
FTC Proposes Rulemaking to Limit Impersonation Scams Read More »
It was Senator George McGovern, D-S.D., who brought me from South Dakota in 1973 to serve as Counsel to the Select Committee on Nutrition but I wound up serving both Senator McGovern and Senator Bob Dole, R-Kan., on food, agriculture, and nutrition. (I suspect that could not happen today.) Bob Dole was Chair of the …
On December 2, 2021, the Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Oded Forer concluded a three-day trip to Washington D.C. to strengthen Israel’s strategic partnership with the U.S. and other regional partners on agricultural issues. This trip included meetings with Senators, the USDA Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh, and senior executives at the World …
Israeli Minister for Agriculture Forer discusses Israeli-US Partnerships in U.S. Visit Read More »
Updated on December 7, 2021 All federal vaccine mandates stayed pending Court action On September 9, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14042: Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors which mandated that employees of federal contractors be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, following recommendations of the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. In early November 2021, …
On November 16, 2021, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, through a lottery system, drew the 6th Circuit as the U.S. Court of Appeals that will hear the consolidated lawsuits against the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2021. The OSHA ETS, which …
On Tuesday, November 16th, 2021, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) held an informal informational meeting on the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China’s (GACC) Decrees 248 and 249 affecting U.S. agricultural exports. The Decrees, which were published in 2019, set out new …
USTR/USDA Holds Open Meeting to Discuss China Decrees 248 and 249 Read More »
On Friday November 12, 2021, President Biden nominated former United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, a cardiologist by training, to again be FDA Commissioner, replacing acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock. Califf, 70, was the FDA Commissioner for a year at the end of the Obama Administration. He garnered broad support …
Biden to Nominate Dr. Robert Califf as FDA Commissioner Read More »
Federal Contractors are being given additional time and flexibility to address the vaccination mandate – Employees must be fully vaccinated by January 18, 2022. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Contracting Officers Have Enormous Discretion To Add Vaccine Mandate Clause to Product Contracts. …
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) released the prepublished version of its expected new emergency temporary standard (ETS). The OSHA ETS (interim final rule; request for comments) was published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2021. The OSHA ETS requires employers with 100 or more employees to mandate that all their …
OSHA Releases ETS on Vaccine and Testing Mandate Read More »
On July 1st, the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to publish the final Made in USA Labeling Rule in the Federal Register. The rule is consistent with – and essentially codifies – its prior 1997 Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S. Origin Claims, and provides the agency with enforcement tools to combat fraudulent claims. The rule …
FTC to Issue Final Rule to Combat “Made in USA” Fraud Read More »
For many years in the Senate, Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) teamed up with Senator George McGovern (D-SD) to create a legacy of bipartisan leadership on nutrition. Working together in the 1970s, they completely reformed the Food Stamp Program (now SNAP); established the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations; with Senator Humphrey, created the Women’s Infants …
Bob Dole and George McGovern: A Nutrition Legacy that Continues Read More »
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will finally be voting on the nomination of Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, for Administrator of the US Agency of International Development tomorrow. Power had her hearing on March 23 before the Senate Spring recess and her confirmation has been waiting to move forward. If confirmed, …
What to Know Ahead of Samantha Power’s Committee Vote Tomorrow Read More »
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on …
On Sunday, March 28, 2021, George Braley, passed away from congestive heart failure. Braley spent his career working to feed the hungry. Braley worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Deputy Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service and later became the Senior Vice President at Feeding America for Government Relations and Public Policy. …
OFW Law Mourns the Loss of George Braley (1948-2021) Read More »
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on …
The Biden-Harris transition team is announcing the names of individuals being appointed to White House and other Executive Branch positions multiple times each week. We are maintaining a list of all announcements based upon the formal notice actually issued as opposed to news reports suggesting who may be appointed. We will update the list on …
On March 9, several health groups including the American Lung Association and the Center for Science in the Public Interest joined Santa Clara County, California and other advocacy groups in a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the Trump administration’s “sunset rule” in the U.S. District Court for the Northern …
Health Groups Sue HHS in Response to Trump Administration’s “Sunset Rule” Read More »
After over 10 years, years, it appears Congress may be considering a return to earmarks, which previously allowed Members to secure funding from congressional appropriations for certain important projects. They were eliminated in 2011 due to scandals. On February 26 House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) announced a plan that would allow the House to …
On February 26, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14018, which revoked a number of EOs and Declarations issued during the Trump Administration. The orders revoked include: Executive Order 13772—Core Principles for Regulating the United States Financial System. This EO outlined the Trump Administration’s financial regulatory principles and required the Department of Treasury to review …
President Biden Revokes Trump Administration’s Executive Orders Read More »
On November 30th, President Joe Biden nominated Neera Tanden to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the largest office within the Executive Office of the President tasked with producing the President’s Budget Request, reviewing rules and regulations, and coordinating policy initiatives across multiple agencies. Ms. Tanden currently leads the Center for American Progress …
The UN Food System Summit (FSS), to be hosted by Secretary-General António Guterres as a part of the UN General Assembly this September, is generating increased attention for several reasons: It’s fast approaching. Hunger is on the rise. The new Biden/Harris Administration is committed to international engagement and hunger reduction. US agriculture has much …
The UN FOOD SYSTEM SUMMIT: Upside and Downside for US Agriculture Read More »
House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) announced that the committee will hold a markup on Thursday at 11:00 AM ET to consider legislative recommendations for its budget reconciliation instructions. Section 3004 of the bill provides $500 million to the Food and Drug Administration to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by: Supporting the review …
FDA Funding in the Energy & Commerce Reconciliation Bill Read More »
President Biden recently issued an Executive Order (EO) to harness the federal government’s purchasing power to bolster domestic manufacturing. The “Strengthening Buy American Provisions, Ensuring Future of America is Made in America by All of America’s Workers” intends to support American industry and American workers. Overall, this EO looks to close loopholes in existing “Buy American” policies …
How Does Buying American Benefit U.S. Food, Agriculture, and Medical Products? Read More »
For decades, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has attempted to combat fraud by retailers and beneficiaries in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with varying success. Fraud levels were dramatically reduced after FNS rolled out the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system and discontinued the use of paper food stamps more than fifteen years ago. …
Oh, SNAP! SNAP Retailers Need to Watch Out for New FNS Entrapment Techniques Read More »
You may recall that back in October we told you about Executive Order 13957, “Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service” which would have removed certain civil service protections for thousands of federal employees involved in decision and policy making roles. Today, as part of multiple Executive Orders, President Biden eliminates Schedule F. Read more about this …
A few hours after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a press release with the names of several individuals who will hold senior staff positions at the agency: Katherine Ferguson – Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary Robert Bonnie …
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