In this episode of Legal Food Talk, host Justin Prochnow welcomes Sara Zborovski, one of his attorney counterparts from Canada with Stikeman Elliott to discuss the outlook on food regulation in 2025 for the United States and Canada. 

Like a baseball or hockey game played between teams from Canada and the United States, they stand at attention while both national anthems play, discussing some of the potential political implications on food regulation in 2025, including a new administration in the United States and Justin Trudeau’s recent actions to prorogue Parliament in Canada. 

They then discuss the wave of FDA guidance issues by the FDA at the end of 2024 and the start of 2025, including FDA’s revised definition of “healthy”, the removal of coconut as a food allergen, new action levels for lead in food intended for infants and children, and the proper naming of plant-based food alternatives. 

This episode is a shining example of international cooperation and the best collaboration between the U.S. and Canada since Canadian bacon and pineapple!

In this episode of Legal Food Talk, host Justin Prochnow welcomes colleague Will Wagner back to Greenberg Traurig and back to the Legal Food Talk podcast! As one of the only repeat guests on Legal Food Talk, Will joins Justin to discuss what has changed in the last three years regarding environmental compliance for food companies since they recorded Episode 6 way back in 2021. 

They revisit California’s Prop 65 and some of the challenges for food companies to maintain compliance and respond to bounty hunter allegations. Will also breaks down the significance of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility for those wondering) and what companies need to do to ensure compliance with requirements that may seem far away but are closer than everyone thinks. 

They also discuss PFAS and the various state laws prohibiting PFAS in packaging, as well as plaintiff lawyer class actions in the space. Finally, they discuss making environmental claims like “biodegradable” and the regulation of such claims on the state level in California and other jurisdictions, as well as what might be coming in the ever-pending revisions to the FTC’s Green Guides. The guys provide you the answers to questions you didn’t even know you had. Download and tune in!

In this episode of the Legal Food Talk podcast, host Justin Prochnow welcomes Greenberg Traurig colleague Peter Arhangelsky to discuss 5 Trends in the Food and Beverage Industry. After some background on Peter and his journey to GT, they breakdown some of the top trends affecting FDA-regulated industries in 2024. With Natural Products ExpoWest back for another year, Justin and Peter discuss the interplay between digital marketing and in-person tradeshows and how companies are deciding where to put their marketing dollars. They also discuss how PFAS and other chemicals are in the cross-hairs of class action plaintiff lawyers in 2024, even as the FTC reevaluates “The Green Guides” and various environmental claims. Plant-based foods and “healthy” claims are also likely to dominate discussion in 2024. And they wrap up with some PSAs regarding various laws and regulations that become effective in 2024 that companies need to know. This is the catch-up collab you need to be prepared for everything coming at you in 2024.

In this episode of Legal Food Talk, host Justin Prochnow welcomes colleague Tyler Thompson from GT’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team to discuss the responsibilities of companies to protect data. Tyler breaks down the overall regulation of data collection and the web of different state laws and regulations, making it more difficult for companies to comply. The guys discuss pathways for achieving compliance and some of the pitfalls involved. Tyler and Justin also breakdown other related obligations companies have that could pose risk for action from plaintiff lawyers, including website compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Finally, they close out with some practical tips for staying on track and in line with requirements. It’s a podcast providing data about collecting data so you can store that data effectively – it’s a data download extraordinaire!

In this episode of Legal Food Talk, host Justin Prochnow welcomes Bill Bookout, President and Founder of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) to talk about the ever-growing category of animal supplements. Bill starts off by explaining the origin of the NASC and how it came to exist before Justin and Bill breakdown the regulation of animal products and the interests of regulators. Bill discusses the interplay of the NASC mission with federal and state agencies and the tenets for members of the NASC. Finally, the guys discuss some of the more pressing issues facing companies in the booming world of animal supplements and other pet products. So be sure to listen in on this podcast.

In this episode of Legal Food Talk, host Justin Prochnow welcomes colleague Barry Schindler, Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Patent Prosecution Group, to the mic to talk about the influence of AI and other technology in food. First, Barry and Justin talk about what is on everyone’s mind – AI – and the first AI-created energy drink. The guys talk about what that means for the industry and how a patented mechanical mouth can assess mouthfeel. Drones dusting and harvesting crops, 3D printing of dietary supplements, and increasingly personalized medicine. How far off are we from your own personal Baymax asking “On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your pain?” Or are we already there? Listen in and prepare to have your horizons expanded!

You are invited to listen to Episode 20, "What’s Popping? Darrin Foster and Oogie’s Gourmet Popcorn."

In this episode of the podcast, host Justin Prochnow welcomes Darrin Foster of Oogie’s Snacks into the studio to talk about a beloved snack item: POPCORN! Darrin and Justin talk about how Darrin got into popcorn, previous iterations, and how Oogie’s got its name. Darrin shares his experiences on how flavors get chosen, implementing big changes in packaging, and managing the business during and post-COVID. Finally, Darrin provides some thoughts and tips for those entrepreneurs looking to start a new business. Grab a bag of popcorn, sit back, and enjoy!

In this episode of the podcast, host Justin Prochnow takes the mic solo and discusses the highwire act that many advertisers and affiliate marketers must navigate to promote products while staying on the right side of the law. Justin runs through his own “Top 10” list of topics that federal regulators like the FDA and the FTC are focused on, including parameters for substantiating claims, requirements for disclosing material connections, the necessity of vetting customer testimonials, and generally making permissible claims. Whether you are looking to tout that secret ingredient found in a hidden village in the Himalayas or the latest and greatest hydration beverage, listening to this episode will help guide you down the path. So, quick, ACT NOW before times runs out! (Insert appropriate disclaimer here!)

Greenberg Traurig’s Legal Food Talk Podcast is designed to help industry participants, whether budding entrepreneurs or long standing companies, in-house counsel, and anyone else curious, to stay in touch with the world of food, beverages, dietary supplements, and agribusiness law.  Each episode addresses a unique facet of the food, beverage or agribusiness sectors, with some episodes featuring Greenberg Traurig guests or other industry professionals.

You are invited to listen to Episode 18, "Regulatory Roundtable – What's on the Menu in 2022?."

In this episode of the podcast, host Justin Prochnow along with GT colleague and golf partner Jim Prochnow discuss happenings from 2022 and issues to look out for in 2023. The boys discuss a wide ranges of topics, moving from sesame as the newest food allergen to homeopathics to the FDA’s regulation of NMN. Other topics include potential regulation of CBD/hemp, updates to the Green Guides and the definition of healthy. Listen in to hear where the GT regulatory team see trends heading in 2023. Greenberg Traurig’s Legal Food Talk Podcast is designed to help industry participants, whether budding entrepreneurs or long standing companies, in-house counsel, and anyone else curious, to stay in touch with the world of food, beverages, dietary supplements, and agribusiness law.  Each episode addresses a unique facet of the food, beverage or agribusiness sectors, with some episodes featuring Greenberg Traurig guests or other industry professionals.

In this episode of the podcast, host Justin Prochnow joins colleague Riley Lagesen at the counter to talk about the restaurant industry. Riley breaks down how he got started working with restaurants and what led to creating a restaurant-focused practice. Riley also talks about joining Greenberg Traurig and how he and the other Portland-based members of the Global Restaurant Industry Group have transitioned to GT’s global platform. The duo discusses the effects of COVID on the restaurant industry and how they worked with clients to manage the many hurdles created before and after COVID. Riley also talks about some of the great collaborations he has worked on with celebrity chefs, actors, and athletes to help companies both navigate the restaurant industry and give back to the community. This is a podcast for any occasion, whether it’s a quick bite with coffee and a croissant, an afternoon snack, or a sit down 8 course meal!