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FLSN Black Lives Matter Statement

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Dear FLSN Community,

The Food Law Student Network supports the Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement. We are heartbroken for the families of Rayshard Brooks, Tony McDade, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Dreasjon “Sean” Reed, and the too many other Black lives we have lost. What is happening to Black people at the hands of rogue police officers and individuals is unacceptable. Although most of these deaths were the result of police brutality, they force us to consider how racism plays a role in every aspect of our society.  In doing so, we realize how pervasive racial discrimination is throughout every segment of our food and agricultural systems.

It is impossible to discuss the roots of systemic racism in this country without acknowledging that it all began with slave labor in agriculture. Directly, and indirectly, racist policies have had a significant impact on racial health disparities as well as access to land, loans, and resources for maintaining a farm.  These policies have helped suppress Black farmers so much so that by 2017 only 1.3 percent of all farmers in the U.S. were Black.[1]

The food and agricultural sector has a great deal of work to do to untangle complex systems of oppression. Food lawyers play a crucial role in moving that forward. It is our duty as a community of future attorneys to educate ourselves and participate in the productive growth of our industry. The Black Lives Matter movement requires us to continue challenging the norms of our food system and amplifying voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in our community. We must actively embrace diversity as the avenue to remove racial disparities in our food system. Doing so is not only the right thing to do but will make for a better, more resilient food system.

We know that many of our members share our sadness, frustration, and outrage. To all of our members hurting right now – we see you. We hear you. We are standing with you, hand in hand.  As future attorneys, it is our responsibility to be anti-racist. That starts with educating ourselves and participating in productive self-growth and community-growth as a united society. It continues with holding each other accountable to ensure our work eliminates racial disparities in agriculture, health, and the environment.

Below are resources for ways to get involved and support the Black community and educate yourself and others on the racial disparities within the food and agriculture industry. As an organization committed to constant growth and learning, we encourage you to share any additional resources with us so that we can continue to work in accompliceship with the Black community, as well as the Indigenous community and all other People of Color, and do our part to ensure justice, peace, and equity throughout our entire food system.

Black Lives Matter

Yours In Solidarity,
FLSN Executive Board 2020-2021

[1] https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2019/2017Census_Farm_Producers.pdf

Anti-Racism Resources:

Social Media Activism:

Reading Materials:

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The Agricultural and Food Law LL.M. at the University of Arkansas

booksWritten by: Erika Dunyak, LL.M. Student at the University of Arkansas

Hello Food Law Student Network Members!

I am an alumnus of the Network, myself, and am currently a student in the Agricultural and Food Law LL.M. at the University of Arkansas. The LL.M. is a great option for students or practitioners interested in expanding their understanding of food or agricultural law.

My experience with the program has been incredibly engaging and exciting. I have been able to take courses in the subjects that really matter to me. The experience to engage in coursework, rather than reading on my own time, has been stimulating. Courses at UArk are taught by leaders in their respective fields. Here’s just a taste of the courses I’ve been able to take:

  • Food Justice
  • Agricultural Cooperatives and Local Foods
  • Right to Food
  • Agricultural Policy and the Federal Budget
  • Food, Farming and Sustainability
  • Food Safety Litigation Strategies
  • Agriculture and the Environment
  • Special Issues in Indigenous Food and Agriculture
  • Urban Agriculture
  • Food Labeling
  • Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Human Rights in the Food and Agricultural Sector
  • Independent Research in Agricultural Labor
  • Food Safety

LL.M. courses are only 1-2 credit hours, meaning you can cram a lot of material into the 24 credit hour program.

I have found the professional and academic support at the UArk LL.M. to be second to none. I have had the opportunity to have near-weekly meetings with Susan Schneider and have developed a close professional relationship with her. For those of you who don’t know Susan, she is one of the founders of food law and a long-time agricultural law scholar.

The program is flexible and students can participate at a distance. However, students in residence may be eligible for graduate assistantships that cover tuition and a small stipend.

This video technology also works the other way. The program has been able to get in experts in to teach courses through the program’s video technology. Professors can video in to a cutting-edge video conference enabled classroom. The other option allows for condensed courses. In these courses, are all-day for about three days.

The program has an unbelievable network — you’ve almost certainly already come across some of its graduates if you’re this far into your food law interest.

But, for me, the biggest benefit of the program was not having to settle. I knew that I wanted to practice food law. I applied to the LL.M. and was accepted for a graduate assistantship in January of my 3L year. I knew that I had some plan that would get me working on food law issues. I was freed up to only apply for food law jobs. I didn’t have to take the job that I didn’t want working at my county’s prosecutor’s office until I could find something that was food related. The LL.M. has provided me with the opportunity to build my resume, get published, make connects, be a part of an amazing alumni network, and essentially hit the employment search running, rather than from the standstill of 3L.

Finally, Fayetteville is an amazing town tucked in the Ozark mountains. It is a great place to live and play and work. There is good food, great bars, great local theatre, beautiful scenery and Northwest Arkansas is home to one of the premiere modern and American art museums in the country.

Please get in touch with me if you have any questions about the program or about Fayetteville. Feel free to shoot me an email to EDunyak@uark.edu!

Cheers!

Erika Dunyak