Agriculture and Food Section

About the Section

The Agriculture and Food Section (AFS), formerly the Agricultural Law Section (ALS) is a young and dynamic Section that focuses on the ever evolving and critically important intersection of agricultural and food law and policy. What could be more essential, more urgent, and more fascinating than the complex law and policy issues invited by the imperative to feed the planet, to do so equitably, and to do so effectively in a time of climate change and during/post a global pandemic? The AFS covers a comprehensive and emerging legal practice area, in particular relating to:

• Agriculture land usage 
• Food production, distribution, and shortages
• Ownership and farmers’ rights
• Seed law, plant variety law, and biotechnology
• Food trade, food safety, and food liability
• Agri-tech
• Sustainable Agriculture—practices and investment strategies
• And much more!

Latest news

Cultivated meat: opportunities and challenges 

Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown or cell-based meat, introduces a groundbreaking approach to meat production, poised to tackle the challenges of traditional animal agriculture. In this webinar, speakers delve into the intricate landscape of cultivated meat, examining both its hurdles and its extraordinary potential.

Our esteemed speakers, experts in their respective fields, dissect the complexities surrounding cultivated meat, encompassing regulatory, technological and market challenges.

Furthermore, the webinar spotlights the considerable opportunities cultivated meat offers, including its environmental benefits when compared to traditional meat production and its contributions to enhancing food security.

IBA Global Insight: AFS contributions

Food law: regulatory frameworks play catch up on cultivated meat products. In this news analysis, Jan Holthuis, Member of the IBA Agriculture and Food Section Section was interviewed about the situation in cultivated meat.

Cultivated meat is, according to Philip Lymbery, Chief Executive of animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming, ‘humanity’s version of something that nature has already given us’. Noting that it’s produced in a bioreactor ‘from stem cells harmlessly drawn from donor animals’, Lymbery says lab-grown meat is therefore a ‘game-changer’ because it replicates nature ‘without the slaughter’.

Read the full article: Food law: regulatory frameworks play catch up on cultivated meat products

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)

The Agriculture and Food Section is strongly committed to upholding and promoting Diversity and Inclusion for its members and activities. The Section advocates for the inclusion and empowerment of all and the elimination of discrimination on the basis of gender, age, culture, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, socioeconomic standing, gender identity or sexual orientation.

How to reduce bias?

• Everyone is subject to unconscious bias. Being aware of that makes you more likely to notice biased or stereotypical thought patterns when they arise;
• Question your first impressions, as they are a product of automatic thinking which is vulnerable to bias;
• Take an honest look at the types of people you resist, seek out and promote;
• Justify your decisions by writing down your reasoning and ensure you would be able to justify it to another person;
• Ask for feedback and involve people with different perspectives.

How to be more inclusive?

• Is there anyone in the team/group who might feel excluded right now? Can you help bridge gaps ? o Example: do you use everyone’s name equally? If not, are the names you do not use in the same way names that you find hard to pronounce so that you find other ways of addressing them?
• What have you been doing (or not doing) that might affect people with differences you can’t see?
• Introduce people in a way that gives tribute to their unique contributions and perspective;
• Make a genuine effort to get to know all the people you work with;
• Ask what would make it easier for people who are reluctant to speak up;
• Seek to learn from others.

Actions taken within the Section:

• Diversity and Inclusion training of the Section officers;
• Opening the officer meetings to all members of the Section for their active participation;
• Revision of the composition of officers in terms of Diversity;
• Ensuring a diverse mix of people for events and panel discussions.

Subcommittees and other groups

The Agriculture and Food Section also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.

• Agriculture and Food Section Advisory Board

Join us on LinkedIn

If you are a member of the Agriculture and Food Section, for additional networking opportunities, programs, interviews with fellow members and tips all exclusive to members, join our LinkedIn page at: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12856078/.