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Laurie Beyranevand
Faculty
Online Faculty

Laurie Beyranevand '03

Director, Center for Agriculture and Food Systems
Professor of Law
Center for Agriculture and Food Systems
Environmental Law Center

JD, Vermont Law School, 2003

BA, Rutgers College, 1999

802-831-1030

Curriculum Vitae

Laurie Beyranevand '03

Biography

Laurie J. Beyranevand is the Director of the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems and a Professor of Law at Vermont Law and Graduate School. The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems trains law and policy students to develop real-world solutions for a more sustainable and just food system.

Professor Beyranevand received a BA from Rutgers College in 1999 and a JD from Vermont Law School in 2003. She clerked in the Environmental Division of the Vermont Attorney General's Office and also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Marie E. Lihotz in New Jersey. Prior to joining the faculty at Vermont Law School, Professor Beyranevand was a Staff Attorney at Vermont Legal Aid where she represented adults and children in individual cases and class action litigation advocating for access to health care, education equality, and civil rights. In that capacity, she appeared in state and federal court, as well as before administrative adjudicative bodies, and served as an appointed member of the Human Rights Committee.

Professor Beyranevand has published a number of scholarly articles and book chapters that focus on the connections between human health and the food system. Her work has been cited in petitions to major federal agencies, books, blogs, and articles, and she has been quoted in Politico, Mother Jones, the Christian Science Monitor, Climate Wire, the Washington Post, and E & E Greenwire, among others.

She is an appointed member of the Food and Drug Law Institute and Georgetown Law School’s Food and Drug Law Journal Editorial Advisory Board, a founding member of the Academy of Food Law and Policy, and the Chair Elect of the Agriculture and Food Law Section of the American Association of Law Schools. She is admitted to the New York and Vermont State Bars, as well as the U.S. District Court, District of Vermont.

As a first generation American with Iranian and Appalachian roots, diverse food and culture have always been prominent in Professor Beyranevand’s life symbolizing the power of food in bringing people together.

 

 

Publications

Articles

The Future of Planning for Food System Governance,” (with Emily M. Broad Leib) Research Handbook on International Food Law (Michael T. Roberts, ed.), Edward Elgar Publishing (2023).

“Essential But Expendable: The Failure of Preemptive Agency Space to Protect Farmworkers from Dangerous Pesticides,” Case Western Reserve Law Review, Vol. 74 (2024).

"The United Nations Food Systems Summit: the Milestone, the Fallout, and Looking Ahead" (with Mackenzie Bindas), Vermont Journal of Environmental Law (December 2021).

"COVID-19’s Shot Across the Bow: Create Resilient Regional Food Systems" (with Alison Lesure), Vermont Journal of Environmental Law (January 2021).

Balancing Food Safety and Burdens on Small Farms​, Natural Resources and Environment, ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (Fall 2013).​

​The Right to Representation in a Guardianship Proceeding, Vermont Bar Journal, Summer 2006.

Commentaries

"Our Food System is Broken — There's a Blueprint to Fix It" (with Emily Broad Leib), The Hill (January 21, 2021).

Presentations

“The Need to Address Hunger and Nutrition Security Holistically for Safety, Resilience, and Prosperity,” keynote speaker, Hunger as a Weapon of War Summit, Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida (May 2023).

“The Need to Address Hunger and Nutrition Security Holistically for Safety, Resilience, and Prosperity,” keynote speaker, Hunger as a Weapon of War Summit, Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida (May 2023).

“The State of Prison Food in New England: A Survey of Federal and State Policy,” panelist, Northeast Farm to Institution Summit, Farm to Institution New England (April 2023).

“The State of Prison Food in New England: A Survey of Federal and State Policy,” panelist, Northeast Farm to Institution Summit, Farm to Institution New England (April 2023).

“Few Protections and Unenforced Laws: Impacts of Pesticide Regulation on Farmworker Health,” invited panelist (with Olivia Guarna, Lihlani T. Nelson, and Mayra Reiter), National Farmworker Law Conference (November 2022).

Few Protections and Unenforced Laws: Impacts of Pesticide Regulation on Farmworker Health,” invited panelist (with Olivia Guarna, Lihlani T. Nelson, and Mayra Reiter), National Farmworker Law Conference (November 2022).

“Food Justice,” invited panelist, Environmental and Climate Justice, University of Michigan School of Law (September 2022).

Invited Moderator, "The Path Forward: Seeking Racial Equity in Food and Drug Law," The War on Abortion Drugs: Unequal Access to Medical Abortion, Food and Drug Law Journal (November 2021).

Panelist, “From Essentially Unprotected to Essential and Protected: How the Law Can Prioritize Farmworker Health," It Takes a Region Conference, Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (November 2021).

Panelist, “Protecting Farmworkers from Climate-Related Illness Through State Policy and Market Based Initiatives,” American Public Health Association Annual Meeting (October 2021).

"Why the U.S. Needs a National Food Strategy," Hot Topics in Environmental Law Lecture Series, Vermont Law School (June 15, 2021).

Panelist, “Essentially Unprotected: A Focus on Farmworker Health Laws and Policies Addressing Pesticide Exposure and Heat Related Illness,” 44th Annual Health Law Professor’s Conference, American Society of Law, Medicine, and Ethics (June 10, 2021).

Panelist, "Ten Years of FSMA: Looking at the Past, Present, and What We Can Expect for the Future," Food and Drug Law Institute (May 2021).

Panel Moderator, "Embedded Racism on the Farm: Labor Law, Immigration, and the Fight for Farmworkers' Rights," Embedded Racism in the Law Panel Series, Vermont Law School (April 22, 2021).

Invited Panelist, “Evaluating the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Proposed Rule for Food Traceability,” Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference, Food and Drug Law Institute (March 24, 2021).

Invited Panelist, "Beyond the Pandemic: Addressing the Silent Crises in Public Health and Food Security Through Planning" (with Jonathan Rosenbloom), Western Places | Western Spaces Conference (March 19, 2021).

Panel Moderator, "Setting the Table: Digging into Federal Food Laws in Application," Vermont Law School Food and Agriculture Law Society (March 15, 2021).

Invited Panelist, “Understanding Our Food Cycle," Planet Over Profit (February 2021).

Panel Moderator, “This Teachable Moment: How COVID-19 Provides Lessons from FDA’s Past and Present That Will Benefit Its Future Preparedness," Georgetown Law School’s Food and Drug Law Journal Annual Symposium (November 12, 2020).

Guest, "Blueprint for a National Food Strategy," The Leading Voices in Food podcast, Duke World Food Policy Center (November 2020).

“Building Food Security and Sovereignty Through Local Zoning Codes” (with Jonathan Rosenbloom), Food Law Lunch Break series, Vermont Law School (October 15, 2020).

“Using Law and Policy to Effect Change in the Food System,” ThinkFOOD 2020 Virtual Conference: Eating to Save the Planet, Bard College at Simon’s Rock (October 4, 2020).
“Blueprint for a Smarter Era of Food Safety: Grower Perspectives and Concerns,” Invited Panel Speaker, Reviewing FDA’s Recently Released Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, Food and Drug Law Institute Webinar, August 5, 2020.
“Law and Policy Approaches to Improve the Food System,” Association for the Study of Food and Society Conference (virtual), July 24, 2020.
“Innovative Digital Resources on Food and Agriculture Law and Policy through the Agricultural Law Information Partnership” (with Francine Miller LLM'17), United States Agricultural Information Network conference, July 20-24, 2020.
Invited Workshop Participant, “Exploring the Costs and Benefits of Seafood Alternatives: Can Plant and Cell-Based Seafood Improve Human and Planetary Health?” New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, NY, March 2, 2020.

Invited Speaker, Food Law Student Leadership Summit, University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville, AR (February 28, 2020).

“Establishing an Agriculture Law Program: Training Lawyers to Represent Rural Communities,” (with Emily Spiegel), China-Mekong Law Center’s annual symposium, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, December 9, 2019.

"U.S. Regulatory Framework for Seafood Fraud," (with Emily Spiegel) at Technical Food Fraud Expert Workshop, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, November 2019.

42nd annual American Society of Law Medicine and Ethics Health Law Professors Conference, “Can Revised Standards of Identify Achieve Greater Public Health Outcomes?" Panel speaker, Chicago, IL (June 2019)

Food Law Student Leadership Summit, Invited Speaker, Georgetown Law Center, (April 2019)

Physicians for Human Rights: Planetary Health – Life in Our Changing World Conference, "Food Security," Invited Speaker, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (January 2019)

Food Advertising, Labeling, and Litigation Conference, “Cross Cutting State and Federal Regulatory Spheres,” Panel speaker, Food and Drug Law InstituteWashington, D.C (September 2018)

Yale Food Systems Symposium, "Notes from the Field of Food Law and Policy," Panel Speaker, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (February 2018).

Food and Drug Law Institute's Food Advertising Labeling and Litigation Conference, "Recent Trends in Food Policy," Keynote speaker, Jones Day (September 2017). 

Taking Stock: Canada’s Second Annual Food Law and Policy Conference, “Blueprint for a National Food Strategy,” Panel Speaker, University of Ottawa Law School (November 2017).

21st Century Food Law: What’s on Our Plates, “Regulating Inherently Subjective Food Labeling Claims,” Panel Speaker, Lewis and Clark Law School (April 2017).

Panelist, "The Overhaul of SNAP and Nutrition Programs," Texas A&M Law Review's Fall 2017 Symposium, Texas A&M Law School, Fort Worth, TX, October 6, 2017.

Food and Drug Law Journal Annual Symposium, “Blueprint for a National Food Strategy,” Keynote Co-Speaker, Georgetown Law School (November 2016).

New Jersey Annual Gleaning Summit, “National Gleaning Project,” Invited Speaker (September 2016).

Texas A and M Law Review Annual Conference, Farm to Table, Agriculture Law in the Era of Sustainability, “Growing Access to Local Food in Urban Centers,” Invited Panel Speaker, Texas A and M Law School (October 2015).

Southern New England American Planning Association Annual Conference, “Using Urban Agriculture to Grow Southern New England,” Invited Panel Presenter (September 2015).

University of Vermont Food Systems Summit, “Geopolitical Contexts,” Moderator (June 2015).

Yale Food Systems Symposium, “The New Foodralism,” Individual Presenter (October 2014).

Summer Academy in Global Food Law and Policy, “The Impact of FSMA on the Global Food Supply,” Invited Scholar, Spain (July 2014).

New England Political Science Association Annual Meeting, “Three Dimensions of the Climate Crisis,” Invited Panel Speaker (April 2014).

New England Political Science Association Annual Meeting, "Three Dimensions of the Climate Crisis", Invited Panel Speaker (April 2014).​​

Vermont Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting, “Food Labeling for Health Care Professionals,” Speaker (April 2014).

Vermont Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting, "Food Labeling for Health Care Professionals", Speaker (April 2014).​

Drexel Law School Health Law Society Lecture, “Hot Topics in Food Labeling,” Invited Speaker, Drexel Law School (February 2014).

Yale Center for Environmental Policy Frontiers in Food and Agriculture Series, “The [In]significance of the Monsanto Rider to the Farm Bill,” Invited Speaker (January 2014).

Food and Drug Law Institute Conference on Food Advertising: Claims, Litigation and Strategies Conference, “Regulation of Food Advertising in 2013-2014: The Natural Label,” Invited Panel Speaker (November 2013).

Colloquium on Environmental Scholarship, “Agricultural Biotechnology and NAFTA: Analyzing the Impacts of U.S. and Canadian Policies on Mexico’s Environment and Agriculture”, Panel Speaker, Vermont Law School (October 2013).

American Agricultural Law Association Annual Conference, The New Food Movement: Gleaning, Liability, and FSMA,” Invited Panel Speaker (October 2013).

Disclosure Debates Symposium, Food and Product Labeling Panel, Moderator, Vermont Law School (September 2013).  

Emerging Issues in Food Law Symposium, “The Monsanto Rider: Codifying Common Practice?,” Invited Panel Speaker, Regent University School of Law (September 2013).

Joint Workshop on Sustainable Development, The Submissions Process and Cross-Boundary Energy Issues, Center on Environmental Cooperation Secretariat, “Agricultural Biotechnology and NAFTA: Analyzing the Impacts of U.S. and Canadian Policies on Mexico’s Environment and Agriculture,” Invited Panel Speaker, McGill University Law School (June 2013).

Dartmouth College Masters in Public Health Program Lecture, “Food Safety in the United States” (February 2013), Dartmouth College.

Third Annual Environmental Law and Justice Symposium, "Roundtable Discussion on Global Food Security: Challenges and Opportunities in Feeding Future Generations", Invited Panel Speaker, Florida A and M School of Law (November 2012).​

Colloquium on Environmental Scholarship, Moderator, Vermont Law School (October 2012).​​

Vermont Law School's Inaugural Conference on Agriculture and Food Systems, “Public Health Issues Related to Food Production and Consumption,” Invited Panel Speaker, Vermont Law School (September 2012).

Hot Topics in Food and Agriculture, “The Future of Coexistence,” Invited Panel Speaker, Vermont Law School Faculty Roundtable (July 2012).

After Irene: Law and Policy Lessons for the Future Symposium, “Dealing with Disaster in the Era of Climate Change,” Moderator, Vermont Law School (April 20, 2012).

Public Interest Lawyering, Invited Panel Speaker, Dartmouth College (Febraury 2012).

Legal Writing Institute One Day Workshop Series, "Using Public Comments to Teach Non-Traditional 'Legal' Writing", Panel Presentation (December 2011).​

Vermont Bar Association Mid-Winter Thaw, "Help, My Client Doesn't Understand: Working with Clients with Diminished Capacity", Invited Panel Speaker (January 2011).​​

Vermont Law School, Environmental Natural Resources Clinic ​Lecture, "How to Submit Effective Public Comments" (Fall 2010).​

Awards & Accomplishments

Affiliations

Chair of the Food and Agricultural Law Section of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), 2020-present.

Editorial Advisory Board member, Food and Drug Law Journal. ​​​​​​​

Appointed Co-Chair, Academy of Food Law and Policy’s Membership and Outreach Committee, December 2016

Food and Drug Law Institute, Academic Program Committee Member, April 2014-April 2017, January 2018 - Present

American Association of Law Schools, Agriculture and Food Law Section, Executive Committee Member, 2012-2014, 2017 - Present

American Bar Association, Section on Dispute Resolution and Young Lawyer's Division Member
Vermont Bar Association
State Bar of Vermont, admitted 2004
​State Bar of New York, admitted 2003

Appointed member, Academy of Food Law and Policy’s Membership and Outreach Committee, December 2016.