Resource Library
Browse 100+ resources on food systems law and policy.
Optimizing Food Distributor Contracts to Achieve Local Food Procurement Targets
Throughout the US, state and local governments have established local food purchasing targets for food served in public institutions like schools, hospitals, or prisons. This guide offers public sector procurement teams options and strategies to adjust their contracting processes with food distributors to support these policy aims.
Topic: Biodiversity, Business Practices Audience: Attorneys, Farmers, Technical Assistance ProvidersSeeds for Rent
This guide explains the fine print in technology use agreements—contracts that farmers sign with seed companies to purchase and use their seeds according to the contract terms. This guide also compares technology use agreements among the three largest seed companies in the US.
Topic: Food Safety Audience: GleanersGleaning Organizations and Value-Added Products
This guide will help gleaning organizations understand and manage some of the food safety liability risks of value-added production. Specifically, this guide discusses the federal food safety obligations of gleaning organizations in value-added production and the implications of value-added production on the enhanced food safety liability protections gleaning organizations enjoy through the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act.
Topic: Farmland Access, Healthy Food Access, Urban Agriculture Audience: Community Organizations, Policymakers, ResearchersZoning for Urban Agriculture
This guide includes a range of examples from cities across the country showing how zoning can support urban agriculture and provides action steps for changing zoning laws to better support urban agriculture.
Topic: Food Safety Audience: Attorneys, Processors & DistributorsA Guide for Food Hubs on Food Safety Compliance
This guide outlines the legal landscape for food hub decisionmakers looking to build food safety compliance and risk management strategies.
Topic: Business Practices, Farmers Markets Audience: Farmers MarketsEmployment Classification for Farmers Market Managers
Should farmers market staff be classified as employees or independent contractors? This resource provides an overview of why classification matters for federal and state employment, tax, and insurance law, and how farmers market operators can ensure a fairer working environment.
Topic: Business Practices Audience: Attorneys, GrowersA Working Guide to Current Use Taxation for Agricultural Lands
This guide examines current use policies and programs as a tool for farmland preservation, identifies common challenges and opportunities of these programs, and provides recommendations for how programs could be adapted to better preserve farmland.
Topic: Business Practices Audience: Attorneys, GrowersReorganizing a Farm Business with Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code
This guide describes how reorganization through Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code is a tool for farmers looking to restructure debt, change production models, or transition their farm to the next generation.
Topic: Food Safety Audience: Growers, Processors & Distributors, Technical Assistance ProvidersUnderstanding FSMA’s Preventive Controls Rule
This guide discusses how the Food Safety Modernization Act Preventative Controls Rules impacts grain businesses, and empowers grain farmers, processors, and food manufacturers to understand and comply with federal food safety laws.
Topic: Healthy Food Access Audience: Attorneys, Community Organizations, Policymakers, ResearchersPolicy Drafting Companion Guide
This resource introduces common elements of laws and offers recommended practices in the drafting process for those who may be exploring or entering the world of local policymaking, as well as those who want to advocate for healthy food access policies.
Topic: Healthy Food Access Audience: Community Organizations, PolicymakersFood Access Policy Change Through Authentic Resident Engagement
This resource provides a definition of "authentic resident engagement" and describes working principles to be used throughout the policy development process.
Topic: Farmers Markets Audience: Farmers MarketsFace Mask Requirements and the Americans with Disabilities Act
What should farmers markets do to comply with the ADA during the COVID-19 pandemic? This resource gives an overview of the topic and provides an ADA Compliance checklist and a Market Log for ADA Requests for Reasonable Modifications.
Topic: Farmers Markets Audience: Farmers MarketsWhat Rules Can a Market Make Regarding Speech?
Many farmers markets have questions about free speech at markets, and in particular, what types of restrictions market rules can place on activities such as leafleting, political campaigning, or protesting. Are farmers markets obligated to allow these types of activities as exercises of free speech under the First Amendment?
Topic: Business Practices Audience: Farmworkers, GrowersEmployment Law FAQ for Vermont Farmers and Farm Workers Related to COVID-19
This guide provides clarification for Vermont farmers and farmworkers on some of the most pressing questions raised by the COVID-19 pandemic, including paid sick leave, sick leave exemptions for small businesses, and unemployment insurance and compensation.
Topic: Other Audience: AttorneysFarm & Food Law: A Guide for Lawyers in the Legal Food Hub
This guide provides legal information to help attorneys build successful relationships with and provide support to small-scale farmers, food entrepreneurs, and other related nonprofit and community organizations in Vermont.
Topic: Biodiversity Audience: FarmersA Breed Apart
This guide is intended to aid plant breeders who want to preserve plant genetic resources outside of the patent system. Its intended readers include those who are unfamiliar with the U.S. patent system as well as those well versed in defensive publication and intellectual property.
Topic: Animal Agriculture, Food Labels Audience: GrowersFarm Animal Welfare Certification Guide
This guide helps farmers and food producers understand what welfare-certified farming can look like—ultimately giving them the tools to sustain humane practices and greater transparency.
Topic: Farmworkers Audience: FarmworkersHousing and Employment Rights for Vermont Dairy Workers
This resource empowers farmworkers to understand and exercise their legal rights and protections related to housing and employment to help prevent exploitation and achieve access to justice in the state of Vermont.
Topic: Farmworkers Audience: FarmworkersDerechos de Vivienda y Empleo para Trabajadores Lecheros de Vermont
Este manual ofrece información general sobre la vivienda y los derechos laborales de los trabajadores lecheros bajo la ley federal y la ley del estado de Vermont.
Topic: Healthy Food Access Audience: Community Organizations, PolicymakersDrafting Definitions in Healthy Food Access Policies
There are several reasons why governments should consider including carefully written definitions with new laws or ordinances. This guide describes what types of terms should be defined and the common practices for drafting good definitions in local laws.
Topic: Gleaning Audience: GleanersThe National Gleaning Project Guide to the Online Gleaning Resources Hub
This guide includes national and state laws and regulations pertaining to gleaning and food donation, a comprehensive guide to gleaning and food recovery organizations by U.S. region, and additional resources on a variety of issues.