Facing a growing population with increasing per capita incomes, China’s Land and Water Law must handle problems that arise from higher food demand. China’s problems with water pollution and food scandals have reached worldwide media attention, for instance, during the melamine milk outbreak in 2008. The change in national diet towards more animal fats raises another public health challenge since China is a net importer of food and feed for livestock. Set against a historical backdrop, this paper will argue that new developments in the Land and Water Law demonstrate that China’s current government is well aware of these affairs.