What Is Food Policy? (And Why You Need To Know About It)
American food policy is a topic that we hope every working or aspiring culinary professional should be familiar with and follow.
What is food policy?
In topline terms, food policy in America refers to the government’s role in shaping how food is produced, distributed and consumed. It comprises laws and regulations, and it aims to steer the food system toward the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
For chefs, its food safety aspects are crucial and cost-saving — the crucial part: requiring legal compliance and impacting public health; the cost-saving part: improving operational efficiencies by preventing spoilage and waste. For other industry professionals — read non-profit leaders like ICE alumna Kerry Brodie and hospitality industry advocates like Andrew Rigie— its principles are guideposts for personal and professional ethics that contribute to a healthier and more sustainable food system.
Thus, the answer to “What is food policy” is multi-faceted and steeped in history. My goal in writing this is to provide a primer for those new to food policy conversations.
Food Policy Principles
The four key objectives of American food policy are:
- Food Security: ensuring access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for all
- Healthy Eating: promoting diets that strengthen overall wellness
- Environmental Stability: protecting natural resources and reducing harm to the environment caused by food production
- Economic Viability: supporting farmers and food businesses.
To achieve this, the American government — via agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — creates legislation specific to food industry initiatives and standards ranging from food safety and nutrition labeling, to agricultural subsidies and environmental practices.
Food policy can be enacted at all levels of government, from international trade agreements (that determine which foods can be imported) to local zoning laws (that designate the areas within which various food businesses can operate). It funds programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), supports farmers through subsidies, and issues dietary guidelines that influence public health, education, and institutional food programs.
To speak plainly, the scope of food policy is too broad and far-reaching to cover in less than 1,000 words (or less than 100,000 words). It touches every aspect of our social fabric, and it informs our lives in ways mental, physical and ideological.
That said, following a range of food policy advocates can provide a framework for understanding it.
Below are three that I’m paying attention to right now — with the name of the newsletter they write and a bit about their particular coverage area. All offer free subscriptions, and all are influential and informative.
But reading them isn’t just about staying informed. It’s about becoming a more conscious consumer and citizen — and that’s something to which we should all subscribe.
3 Food Policy Aficionados Worth Following
Marion Nestle – Food Politics
Marion Nestle is one of the most respected figures in nutrition and food policy. A professor emerita at NYU, her work has shaped how we think about food, power, and public health for four decades.
In addition to a lifetime of academic articles and policy commentaries, Professor Nestle has written seven books. Among these are "Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health"; "Eat, Drink, Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics"; "Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat"; and a memoir titled "Slow Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics."
Beyond all that, Professor Neslte has been a friend to ICE, mentoring numerous chef-instructors and ICE alumni.
Her newsletter, Food Politics, offers timely commentary on food industry practices, government regulations, public health issues, and emerging research.
However, what sets it apart is her ability to distill complex food issues into accessible, thoughtful commentary. Whether she’s analyzing the implications of front-of-package labeling or spotlighting industry influence in policy-making, Professor Nestle helps readers stay informed and empowered.
The newsletter is delivered by email several days per week. Subscription is free. Subscribe here: https://www.foodpolitics.com
Helena Bottemiller Evich – Food Fix
Food Fix is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the often contentious and occasionally fast-paced food policy parleys happening behind-the-scenes in Washington D.C.
Created by award-winning journalist Helena Bottemiller Evich — former senior food and agriculture reporter at Politico — Food Fix offers exclusive reporting, analysis, and interviews with key operators within the U.S. food system.
Evich has built a reputation for being both fearless and deeply sourced in her reporting. Her newsletter covers everything from federal nutrition programs and agricultural policy, to corporate lobbying and food equity.
With a finger on the pulse of Capitol Hill and a commitment to public interest journalism, Food Fix is where policy wonks, advocates, and food professionals turn to stay ahead of the curve.
It’s published twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Friday subscription is free. The annual rate to receive both issues and get full access to Helena’s archives is $50 for students, $300 for academia & government, and $500 for all others. Subscribe here: https://www.foodfix.co
Vani Hari – Food Babe
Vani Hari (aka “Food Babe”) is a food activist, a New York Times best-selling author, and one of Time Magazine’s “Most Influential People On The Internet” (2015). She has been profiled in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal, among others, and has appeared on TV network news programs on CNN, CBS, and NBC.
According to her official bio, she “started FoodBabe.com to spread information about what is really in the American food supply.” Her research and writing have prompted powerful companies like Kraft, General Mills, Subway, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks to change how they develop their products and steered them towards more healthful policies.
It’s important to note that Hari is an active voice in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, and in 2025, became an advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While she has brought attention to questionable food industry practices, several of her claims were scientifically unsubstantiated and, according to critics, misrepresent risk.
Still, it’s my belief that to understand food policy, one must listen to the myriad voices and thought streams within it — even, and perhaps most especially, to those that are controversial and/or with which you disagree.
Hari’s newsletter is an extension of her blog, books and social media accounts. Subscribing is free, and signup is available on her website.
More by Rick Smilow, ICE Chairman and Founder
