Understanding Agricultural Law and Its Importance

When it comes to the food and beverage industry, agricultural law plays an incredibly important role. Agricultural law concerns the application of many legal rules to different agricultural entities. As a result, it’s critical for companies and other entities within the food and beverage industry to familiarize themselves with the nuances of agricultural law. That’s where comprehensive agricultural law schools become important by training legal experts who can help with food law, farm law, and related issues.

Becoming well versed in agricultural law through an accredited school helps students and professors understand the importance of policies in the food and beverage industry. Current issues that may affect agricultural law are: The aforementioned issues are just some of the topics that agricultural law schools address. Fortunately, there are a number of schools that are doing their part to teach legal experts the unique aspects of agricultural law. Some of the best school options include:

• University of California – Davis (JD in Agricultural & Resource Law) – The University of California -Davis put together an article titled The Importance of Agricultural Law in the 21st Century, which details a number of current and future issues that may impact agricultural law. However, what’s even more interesting is that the article cites Chris McCormack, who is a 2015 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, as someone who understands the outsized importance of food and beverage law.
• University of Nebraska Lincoln College of Law (LLM in Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law) – According to sources, another great agricultural law school is the University of Nebraska Lincoln College of Law, which was previously known for its US-China Relations, but is now focused on space, cyber, and telecommunication law. Commencing in 2019, the agricultural law program will expand to include Legal Education for a Global Community, which will include international law, administrative law, food law, environmental regulations, and laws related to intellectual property.
• The School of Law at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (JD and LLM in Agricultural & Applied Economics) – The University of Wisconsin – Madison offers students the chance to earn a JD or LLM in Agricultural & Applied Economics. Students earn their degrees by taking courses in agriculture, business, economics, marketing, natural resources, and sciences, which give them the option to focus on areas such as land use, organic farming, food safety, and international trade laws.
• University of Tennessee College of Law (Environmental Law in Agriculture) – The University of Tennessee College of Law is among the best colleges when it comes to agricultural law. Students learn about commercial practices such as the agricultural industry, property rights, state regulation, animal rights, food production, labor, rural development, and trade. Online courses are available for those who are interested, while those who want the hands-on approach can enroll in agricultural and “land use” courses.
• The School of Law at the University of Arkansas (JD in Agricultural & Extension Education) – The University of Arkansas is another one of the best agricultural law schools to attend if you want to understand how current policies are impacting the food and beverage industry. The school offers courses in rural law, community law, and farm law when pursuing your JD degree.
• Florida A&M University College of Law (JD in Food Law) – Florida A&M University is also offering an agricultural law program in addition to its legal issues in biomedical and medical fields. Students can study food law while completing the program. In addition, the program has an emphasis on technology and development, and focuses on food safety, food biotechnology, land use laws, and organic and non-gmo labeling.

When considering the aforementioned agricultural law schools, remember that agricultural law is not just important for doctors, professors, students, or individuals in the field. Knowing all that you can about what influences agricultural law can help you with your business. Legal experts can help you understand the issues in agricultural law so that you can create a strategy for staying ahead.