Dear Friends of the Resnick Center,

We are delighted to share with you some of the projects we have been engaged in over the past year. We have continued our leadership in food law and policy scholarship with major works, fostered student leaders at UCLA Law, and brought together thought leaders in the world of food law and policy for a conference to celebrate our 10th anniversary.

As the Resnick Center enters its second decade at UCLA Law, we are grateful for our partners and supporters who allow us to continue the work of improving our global food systems for the health of people and the planet, and who inspire us every day.

Please reach out to us at resnickcenter@law.ucla.edu to let us know what you’ve been up to, for more information, to get involved, or to donate to our work.

Thank you for your support, and best wishes,
Executive Director Michael T. Roberts and Deputy Director Diana Winters

Melissa came to UCLA Law after nearly fifteen years working in the meat industry. She trained with world-renowned butcher, Dario Cecchini, managed L.A.'s beloved Lindy & Grundy's Meats, and worked as a regulatory compliance consultant for small butcher shops and ranchers before opening her own small butchery in 2016. As the owner of that business, Bavette Meat & Provisions, Melissa focused on sourcing meat directly from California ranchers and building a community committed to opting out of the industrial meat system. During the pandemic, Melissa applied to law school so she could focus her efforts on shaping law and policy that supports a more resilient and regenerative food system, with a particular interest in fighting consolidation and corruption in the meat industry.

In fall 2023, the Resnick Center offered a new course at UCLA Law titled Law 382: Food as Commons or Commodity? The course was taught by Paula Daniels, Co-founder, Chief of What's Next, and Founding Chair of the Center for Good Food Purchasing, and member of the Center’s Advisory Board. 'Food as Commons or Commodity?’ reviewed the political and public policy framework of our current food system, and examined the gaps where the growing public interest in a sustainable and healthy food system could be met with public policy approaches rooted in public trust or other public interest doctrines and laws. Professor Daniels will teach this course again in the 2025-26 academic year.

After a year hiatus, the student Food Law Society (FLS) held a robust slate of activities in 2023-24, beginning with a kick-off meeting with over 80 attendees.  With the Resnick Center’s support, the FLS held two lunch and learns, a networking event, and a teaching kitchen event for law students, among other things.

On April 18-19, 2024 the Resnick Center celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a conference on the past, present, and future of the field of food law and policy. On April 18, the Resnick Center and the Academy for Food Law and Policy (AFLP) co-hosted a day of panel sessions on the history of and models in teaching the field of food law and policy, as well as a workshop for selected new works in food law and policy. This day was designed for those teaching or interested in teaching food law and policy.

On April 19, the Resnick Center held panels on climate change and food; nutrition policy, labelling, and healthy living; and how systems thinking can impact food law and policy locally, nationally, and globally. The day included reflections on the past decade of the Center and recognition for the generosity of our founder, the Resnick Family Foundation. Stewart Resnick joined us for a special tribute, which also involved former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and Dean Michael Waterstone. The keynote address was given by Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, who founded and leads the Food Systems for the Future team as President and CEO. Cousin served previously as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director and the US Ambassador for Food and Agriculture.  She is a Distinguished Scholar at the Stanford University Center on Food Security and Environment and a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

In conjunction with the 10th anniversary conference, the Resnick Center held a meeting and dinner for its Outside Advisory Board on April 18, 2024. Several students who have been involved with the Resnick Center presented to the Board, and discussed their research, advocacy, and other connections with food law and policy.

Read more about the conference.

The Resnick Center and the International and Comparative Law Program hosted a lunchtime panel event to mark the publication of the Research Handbook on International Law, edited by Michael T. Roberts. UCLA Law Professors William Boyd and Peter Reich presented, as did Temple Law Professor Amy Cohen. On May 7th, Professor Roberts presented on the book for the Food Law Academics Network (FLAN), sponsored by the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands.

In fall 2024, the Resnick Center began working with the Nutrition and Physical Activity Program at the L.A. County Department of Public Health to research the legal viability of various strategies to reduce sugar consumption in Los Angeles County. A research assistant is currently working on several legal memos to provide the Program with strategy and background and will continue working with the Program through the 2024-25 academic year. The Program wrote the Center into its 2024-25 workplan, submitted to the state.

In February 2024, the Center and the Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies co-sponsored a lecture by Auburn University Professor Xaq Frohlich on food labeling and the history of the FDA.  Professor Frohlich published a book in 2023 titled, From Label to Table: Regulation Food in the Information Age, and the Resnick Center hosted him on their podcast, Repast, in 2023.

Thank you for being a supporter of the Resnick Center for Food Law & Policy. We look forward to a great year ahead!

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