- On January 1, 2026, major restrictions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) went into effect in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia. These five states were granted waivers
President Trump Signs Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025
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- On January 14, 2026, President Donald J. Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. This initiative sought to revise requirements for milk provided by the National
USDA US-Origin Labeling Rule Now in Effect
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- As of January 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) final rule, addressing voluntary US-origin label claims for meat, poultry, and egg products, is now in effect.
- The March
USDA Publishes Interim Final Rule for Orange Juice Standards
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- On November 18, 2025, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an interim final rule (IFR) revising its grading standards for pasteurized orange juice to align with the Food and
Federal Hemp Definition Under Scrutiny by State Attorney Generals
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- A coalition of 39 state and territory attorneys general recently submitted a letter to congressional leaders requesting clarification of the federal definition of “hemp” under the Agricultural Improvement Act of
Ninth Circuit Reverses Bioengineered Food Labeling Exemption for Highly Refined Foods
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- The Ninth Circuit has reversed (Law360 subscription required) a district court ruling exempting highly refined foods from the definition of a “bioengineered food.” As we previously blogged, in 2022,
US States Sue USDA Over SNAP Suspension
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- This week, twenty-five US states and the District of Columbia (DC) filed suit in the US District Court of Massachusetts against the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and US Office
States Warn of SNAP Benefits Suspension in November
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- Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Texas have recently issued updates regarding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, warning that there may be suspension of food
Governor Newsom Signs California Bill Defining Ultraprocessed Food
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- On October 8, 2025, Governor Newsom signed the “Real Food, Healthy Kids Act,” making California the first state to define ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) and prohibit them in schools.
- California’s AB
The Impacts of the US Government Shutdown on HHS Activities
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- On October 1, 2025, the US federal government shut down after lawmakers failed to pass a new appropriations bill. Federal agencies and departments have certain operational procedures during shutdowns, and