Food and Drug Administration

GMO labeling is a big issue, but it’s not the only hard choice that regulatory agencies face. Food companies can also lobby for terms like “all natural” and other seemingly health-related statements to go on labels, but their scientific value isn’t clear.

Benjamin England worked at the FDA for 17 years and founded FDAImports.com. He believes this legislation could lead to dramatic change, but only if the government can find the funding to back up the FDA’s expanded role.

After years in the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn a proposed rule that would force companies to label certain potentially harmful chemicals. Many of the EPA’s proposal have been frozen as protests from Congress threaten to limit the agency’s power.

President Barack Obama’s government has dropped its opposition to a court decision that allows the Plan B emergency contraceptive to be bought over-the-counter by women of any age. Proponents had argued the pill was safe and a useful safety net against unwanted pregnancy.

A federal judge handed a victory to women’s health advocates, saying that the federal government erred when it overruled a panel of scientists who recommended that Plan B One-Step be made available to women of all ages. He gave the government 30 days to change its policies.