Food law roundup

  • Bloomberg’s petty tyranny: NYC plans ban on soft drink sizes bigger than 16 oz. at most eateries, though free refills and sales of multiple cups will still be legal [NBC New York]
  • Will Michigan suppress a heritage-breed pig farm? [PLF] NW bakers cautiously optimistic as state of Washington enacts Cottage Food Act [Seattle Times]
  • Hide your plates: here comes the feds’ mandatory recipe for school lunch [NH Register] School fined $15K for accidental soda [Katherine Mangu-Ward] Opt out of school lunch! [Baylen Linnekin]
  • Losing his breakfast: court tosses New Yorker’s suit claiming that promised free food spread at club fell short [Lowering the Bar, earlier]
  • Amid parent revolt, Massachusetts lawmakers intervene with intent to block school bake-sale ban [Springfield Republican, Boston Herald, Ronald Bailey]
  • Interview on farm and food issues with Joel Salatin [Baylen Linnekin, Reason]
  • “Nutella class action settlement far worse than being reported” [Ted Frank]
  • Under political pressure, candy bar makers phase out some consumer choices [Greg Beato] Hans Bader on dismissal of Happy Meal lawsuit [CEI, earlier]

4 Comments

  • how about allowing 32 ounces of soda that is half-sugar, half-aspartame…
    will the city measure cups to the brim? one-half inch below the brim? will suppliers have to mark the “16 ounce ” level on each cup? will Bloomberg make an allowance for ice?

  • Childhood obesity is a major problem. I doubt many people would disagree. However, what I still want to know is why the answer is “control foods available to kids! ban bake sales! stop kids from bringing lunch from home!” and not “make kids exercise more.” I went to two high schools. One required students to do one semester of Phys. Ed. in their entire four years. The other required students to either take PE or participate in a sport, every semester (barring medical issues). I won’t insult Overlawyered’s commentariat by asking for guesses as to which school had more obesity problems.

    (okay, being honestly, I have some fair guesses as to why “get more exercise” isn’t the answer, but I’m leaving the question for rhetorical reasons)

  • Diet sodas, fruit juices, milk-based drinks and alcoholic beverages would be exempted.

    If I had to guess, drinking more than 16 oz. of an alcoholic beverage is more likely to create a problem than a sugar drink, especially for others.

    The ban is easy to get around by buying more than one.

  • School Food or Prison Food?

    play the game, click on an item for answer

    http://cityrag.com/2012/05/prison-food-or-school-food/prison-food-or-school-food-14/