Washington, D.C., June 1, 2026 – OFW Law is pleased to announce Bailee Fanning has joined the Government Relations Practice as a Policy Manager. Fanning previously served as a Policy Coordinator at RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), as an intern at the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, and as a recruitment and outreach […]
Bailee Fanning Joins OFW Law Read More »
Congressional oversight of the food industry has intensified. Whether the trigger is a high-profile recall, a food safety outbreak, a supply chain failure, or a policy dispute with a federal agency, food companies increasingly face committee inquiries, document requests, and formal hearing summons. Your regulatory affairs team knows how to manage FDA inspections and USDA
Your company engages with federal policymakers, employs government relations professionals, and operates what appears to be a standard advocacy program. Yet one inadvertent lobbying disclosure error, unregistered foreign agent activity, or gift rule violation triggers investigations that expose your organization to civil penalties, criminal prosecution, and permanent reputational damage. I know this because government affairs
Government Affairs Compliance Risks: LDA, FARA & Gift Rule Violations Read More »
Today, December 2, 2022, President Biden signed into law H. R. 8454 to expand research on cannabidiol and marijuana, and for other purposes which will create cannabis research opportunities for medical cannabis and will protect doctors who advise their patients about medical cannabis. The bill was passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate
Federal Cannabis Research Bill Signed into Law Read More »
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
Food Security a Priority at UN Read More »
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 Thursday, July 21, 2022, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Cory Booker (D-NJ), and more officially filed the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) (S.4591) to legalize cannabis nationwide. OFW has prepared material on this bill and will be monitoring supplementary announcements and hearings for more information. Please note that OFW has provided other posts on key areas of interest in
CAOA Filed in the Senate 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
White House Announces Nutrition Conference Read More »
OFW’s Food & Agriculture team regularly monitors announcements and policy issuances from FDA, USDA, and other agencies to keep our clients apprised of regulatory developments that may impact their business. Here are a few of the developments from February that we took note of. If you have any questions or would like more information, please
February Food and Agriculture Regulatory Recap 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,
Federal Vaccine Mandates – Where Things Stand Read More »
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
This week the President of Kenya, H. E. Uhuru Kenyatta, and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, with its partners, will again host the Alliance for a Green Revolution Forum (AGRF). It is of particular importance this year because it comes right before the UN Food Systems Summit, and they are both chaired
Opinion: Africa and the UN Food Systems Summit by Marshall Matz 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 »
This piece was originally published by Agri-Pulse Communications. As preparations for the United Nations Food System Summit (FSS) get underway in the US and around the world, the respected author Walter Isaacson has released a new book entitled The Code Breaker. Isaacson, well known as a talented historian and biographer, has written eloquently of Albert Einstein, Benjamin
Opinion: The Code Breaker, CRISPR, and the UN Summit Read More »
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 »
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 »
By Kristin McGinty The Beginning The National School Lunch Program operates in 100,000 schools and is available to approximately 50 million children. We have all grown up with lunch in school, and perhaps breakfast too. But it was not always this way. School meal programs have been developing in the United States since the 19th
The History and Value of School Lunches Read More »
By: Julia Johnson “So today, with COVID-19, I want to stress that we are not only facing a global health pandemic but also a global humanitarian catastrophe. Millions of civilians living in conflict-scarred nations, including many women and children, face being pushed to the brink of starvation, with the specter of famine a very real
COVID-19 and the Need for International Food Aid – A Growing Body of Evidence Read More »
By Julia Johnson The coronavirus has dominated the news cycle over the last five months and has disrupted nearly every industry, particularly agriculture and forestry. Leaders, innovators, and policymakers in these fields are looking for solutions that will mitigate future supply chain disruptions like the ones experienced due to the coronavirus. Therefore, it is not
Policy Solutions to Climate Change through Agriculture and Forestry Read More »
President Donald Trump held a 30-minute press conference beginning at 5:15 this afternoon. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said the purpose of today’s press conference was to provide an update on the Administration’s response to the China virus. He said they are working to get the sunbelt outbreak under control. They
7/21/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
By: Julia Johnson On Wednesday, June 16, the 2020, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) hosted a public meeting to review their draft scientific report. A new edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is published every 5-years and developed in three stages: (I) Reviewing the science; (II) developing the guidelines; (III) implementation. The most
2020 Dietary Guidelines Near the End of Stage One Read More »
It is almost easy to forget, in this strange, tumultuous spring of 2020, that we still have a national presidential election, perhaps one of the most important in our lifetimes, just around the corner, five months from now. As a cascade of crises dominates national attention — the covid-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, nationwide
The 2020 Presidential Transition Has Already Begun, Quietly Read More »
President Donald Trump held a 45-minute press conference beginning at 12:40 this afternoon. He was joined by Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, former head of GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine division, named today as the Chief Scientist for Operation Warp Speed, and General Gustave Perna, commanding general of the
5/15/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump held a 1-hour press conference beginning at 4:15 this afternoon. He was joined by Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D., and the Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Brad Smith. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said the purpose of today’s press conference was
5/11/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and the Vice President held a 1-hour press conference beginning at 5:40 this evening. They were joined White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx, and Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said the number of new cases continues to decline with
4/27/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and the Vice President held a less than 25-minute press conference beginning at 5:40 this evening. Neither the President nor the Vice President took any questions. They were joined by FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. Summary of the President’s remarks: The President said the aggressive strategy is still working. New cases in New
4/24/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and the Vice President held a 1-hour press conference beginning at 5:48 this evening. They were joined by Acting Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary William N. Bryan, and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said that in 23 states new cases
4/23/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and the Vice President held a 1-hour and 40-minute press conference beginning at 5:47 this evening. They were joined by Centers for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield, MD, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx, Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Surgeon General of the United States Vice Admiral Jerome Adams
4/22/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump held a 1-hour and 10-minute press conference beginning at 5:47 this evening. He was joined by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx, and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President opened with saying that 20 states have announced that they are
4/21/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence held a nearly 1-hour and 40-minute press conference beginning at about 5:40 this evening. They were joined by Commanding General of the Army Corps of Engineers Lt. General Todd Semonite, Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D., the Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
4/20/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence held a nearly 1-hour and 30-minute press conference beginning at about 6:27 this evening. They were joined by Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Seema Verma, and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said they are continuing to negotiate
4/19/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump held a 1-hour and 10-minute press conference beginning at about 5:09 this evening. He was joined by White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said there are a number of positive signs that the virus is past its peak. He said the US
4/18/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence held a 2-hour press conference beginning at about 6:21 yesterday evening. They were joined by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx, Centers for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield, MD, and Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett
4/17/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence held a 1-hour and 15-minute press conference beginning at about 6:05 this evening. They were joined by White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx, Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Centers for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield, MD. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President
4/16/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence held a one-hour press conference beginning at about 5:48 yesterday evening. They were joined by White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx, and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. Summary of the President’s remarks and questions: The President said the aggressive strategy we are following is working. He said
4/15/20 OFW Law Daily COVID-19 News Conference Summary Read More »
