Case Law Index Conservation Programs
September 12, 1990 – June 21, 2023
This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving the conservation programs that were decided between the dates listed above. The cases are listed in reverse chronological order. The “Text” link goes to the freely available Google Scholar text of the opinion. These listings are for educational purposes only, and are not a substitute for legal counsel.
SUPREME COURT
Graham County Soil & Water Conservation Dist. v. United States ex rel. Wilson, 545 U.S. 409 (2005) (False Claims Act) Text
SECOND CIRCUIT
United States v. Acquest Transit LLC, No. 09CV55S, 2020 WL 3042673 (W.D.N.Y. June 4, 2020) (prior convered cropland statues abandoned if agricultural activities cease for five consecutive years and the property reverts to wetlands as indicated by the characteristics for federal wetlands) Text
THIRD CIRCUIT
United States v. Brace, No. CV 90-229E, 2021 WL 4391289 (W.D. Pa. Sept. 24, 2021) (swampbuster benefits under ASCS for wetland converted to farmland) Text
Rauterkus v. United States by & through Vilsack, No. 1:19-CV-240, 2021 WL 795998 (W.D. Pa. Mar. 2, 2021) (deed allowing land owners to “the opportunity to participate” in conservation plan upheld) Text
Marslette v. Glickman, No. Civ.A. 00-509-SLR, 2003 WL 21035015 (D. Del. April 28, 2003) (discrimination claim)
Marslette v. Glickman, No. Civ.A. 00-816-SLR, 2003 WL 1697535 (D. Del. March 26, 2003) (discrimination claim)
FOURTH CIRCUIT
United States v. Goodrum, 765 F. App’x 886 (4th Cir. 2019) (fraudulent applications for Emergency Conservation Program awarded to non-farmed property) Text
United States ex rel. Maharaj v. Est. of Zimmerman, 427 F. Supp. 3d 625 (D. Md. 2019) (land improperly enrolled in CREP; dispute over fraudulent land claims in CREP) Text
Bass v. Vilsack, 595 F. App’x 216 (4th Cir. 2014)) (wetland determination) Text
Davis v. Vilsack, No. 7:13cv00026, 2014 WL 2547746 (W.D. Va. June 5, 2014) (Agency erroneously terminated CREP contract) Text
U.S. ex rel. Wilson v. Graham County Soil & Water Conservation Dist., 528 F.3d 292 (4th Cir. 2008) (False Claim Act) Text
Holly Hill Farm Corp. v. United States, 447 F.3d 258 (4th Cir. 2006) (Swampbuster benefit eligibility) Text
United States ex rel. Wilson v. Graham County Soil & Water Conservation Dist., 224 F. Supp. 2d 1042 (W.D.N.C. 2002) (False Claims Act) Text
United States ex rel. Wilson v. Graham County Soil & Water Conservation Dist., No. Civ. 2:01CV19, 2002 WL 31455718 (W.D.N.C. May 30, 2002) (False Claims Act)
United States ex rel. Wilson v. Graham County Soil & Water Conservation Dist., No. 2:01CV19-T, 2002 WL 487162 (W.D.N.C. Mar. 25, 2002) (False Claims Act)
FIFTH CIRCUIT
Dawson Farms, LLC v. Farm Serv. Agency, 504 F.3d 592 (5th Cir. 2007) (failure to exhaust administrative remedies) Text
Barrientos v. United States, Civil Action No. L-05-163, 2006 WL 2414348 (S.D. Tex. Aug. 14, 2006) (breach of contract)
In re Baker, 307 B.R. 860 (Bankr. N.D. Tex. 2003) (homestead exemption) Text
SIXTH CIRCUIT
Cardinal Land Conservancy, Inc. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., No. 1:18-cv-00534 (S.D. Ohio March 16, 2022) (agricultural land easement) Text
Stew Farm, Ltd. v. Nat. Res. Conservation Serv., 767 F.3d 554 (6th Cir. 2014) (Farmer claim for defective design by NRCS) Text
Maple Drive Farms Ltd. Partnership v. Vilsack, 781 F.3d 837 (6th Cir. 2015) (prior-converted wetland determination) Text
Durbin v. Farm Serv. Agency, No. C2:05-CV-566, 2007 WL 1114986 (S.D. Ohio April 13, 2007) (wetland determination)
SEVENTH CIRCUIT
In re Adcock, 618 B.R. 260 (Bankr. C.D. Ill. 2020) (funds used from Conservation Stewardship Program when bank has security interest) Text
Close Armstrong, LLC v. Trunkline Gas Company, LLC, 434 F.Supp.3d 658, 2020 WL 363910, (N.D. Ind. 2020) (easements granted for gas company) Text
Boucher v. United States Dep’t of Agric., 934 F.3d 530 (7th Cir. 2019) (federal “swampbuster” statute wetlands support hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology) Text
Mittelstadt v. Perdue, 913 F.3d 626 (7th Cir. 2019) (Agency did not abuse its discretion in denying reenrollment in CRP) Text
Boucher v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 934 F.3d 530 (7th Cir. 2019) (determination of converted wetland was arbitrary and capricious)
Reichenbach v. U.S. Dep’t. of Agric., No. 1:10-cv-994-WTL-TAB, 2013 WL 74608 (S.D. Ind. 2013) (wetland determination) Text
Bedeker v. United States, Nos. 07 C 6014, 08 C 1711, 2009 WL 691288 (N.D. Ill. Mar. 23, 2009) (violation of Swampbuster)
Horn Farms, Inc. v. Johanns, 397 F.3d 472 (7th Cir. 2005) (wetland conversion) Text
Horn Farms, Inc. v. Veneman, 319 F. Supp. 2d 902 (N.D. Ind. 2004) (wetland conversion) Text
EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Foster v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., No. 22-2729 (8th Cir. 2023) (procedure for reviewing wetland certification did not conflict with Swampbuster) Text
Foster v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 609 F.Supp.3d 769 (D. S.D. July 1, 2022) (Swampbuster program was not unconstitutional) Text
Garrison v. New Fashion Pork LLP, No. 18-CV-3073-CJW-MAR, 2019 WL 5586565 (N.D. Iowa July 1, 2019)(financial ineligibility based on uses or designations of highly erodible land) Text
Davids as Trustee of Harold D. v. U.S. Dep’t. of Agric., 367 F.Supp.3d 880 (N.D. Iowa 2019) (minimal effect on wetland exemption) Text
PM Farms, Inc. v. Young, 233 F. Supp. 3d 706 (S.D. Iowa 2017) (farm did not provide argument for reconsideration)Text
Kerber v. Carver County Farm Service Agency, No. 18-907 (MJD/BRT), 2018 WL 6529494 (D. Minn. Dec. 12, 2018) (lack of jurisdiction) Text
Foster v. Vilsack, 820 F.3d 330 (8th Cir. 2016) (wetland determination) Text
Rodgers v. Vilsack, No. 2:14-CV-81 NAB, 2015 WL 4488078 (E.D. Mo. July 23, 2015) (conservation easement part of Wetlands Reserve Program) Text
Morehouse v. C.I.R., 769 F.3d 616 (8th Cir. 2014) (CRP payments to non-farmers excluded from self-employment tax) Text
Peterson v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., No. 3:13-cv-34, 2014 WL 4809398 (D.N.D. Sept. 26, 2014) (misapplication of law by Agency in determination of convert wetland) Text
Herden v. United States, 726 F.3d 1042, 2013 WL 4033935 (8th Cir. 2013) (tort claim for action involving pasture land enrolled in conservation program) Text
B & D Land & Livestock Co. v. Schafer, 584 F.Supp.2d 1182 (N.D. Iowa 2008) (violations of Swampbuster) Text
Clark v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 537 F.3d 934 (8th Cir. 2008) (wetlands determination) Text
Wheeler v. USDA, No. Civ. 05-1052, 2008 WL 220614 (D. S.D. Jan. 24, 2008) (False claims)
In re Houston, 385 B.R. 268 (Bankr. N.D. Iowa 2008) (Fraudulent transfer of CRP payments) Text
Groenendyk v. Johanns, No.4:06-CV-00212 JAJ, 2008 WL 428157 (S.D. Iowa Feb. 12, 2008) (review of wetlands determination)
Wolfhole, Inc. v. USDA, No. 1:07CV73 CDP, 2008 WL 1805369 (E.D. Mo. April 17, 2008) (Conservation Security Program)
B & D Land & Livestock Co. v. Conner, No. C 07-3070-MWB, 2008 WL 191892 (N.D. Iowa Jan. 22, 2008) (wetland conversion)
Clark v. USDA, 492 F. Supp. 2d 1085 (S.D. Iowa 2007) (wetland determination) Text
Ballanger v. Johanns, 451 F. Supp. 2d 1061 (S.D. Iowa 2006) (Swampbuster benefit eligibility) Text
Siebrasse v. USDA, 418 F.3d 847 (8th Cir. 2005) (fraudulent transfer of land) Text
In re Schrandt, No. 04-04172, 2005 WL 1629798 (Bankr. N.D. Iowa July 11, 2005) (public assistance benefits exception)
B & D Land & Livestock Co. v. Veneman, 332 F. Supp. 2d 1200 (N.D. Iowa 2004) (wetland conversion) Text
B & D Land & Livestock Co. v. Veneman, 231 F. Supp. 2d 895 (N.D. Iowa 2002) (wetland conversion) Text
Branstad v. Veneman, 232 F. Supp. 2d 945 (N.D. Iowa 2002) (attorneys’ fees) Text
Branstad v. Veneman, 212 F. Supp. 2d 976 (N.D. Iowa 2002) (administrative appeal) Text
State of N.D. ex rel. Bd. Of University and School Lands v. Yeutter, 914 F.2d 1031 (8th Cir. 1990) (denial of application to place land in Conservation Reserve Program) Text
NINTH CIRCUIT
Desert Survivors v. U.S. Dep’t of Interior, 321 F. Supp. 3d 1011 (N.D. Cal. 2018) (Use of NRCS EQIP funding procedures for argument) Text
Willard v. Nat. Res. Conservation Serv., No. 4:14-CV-00026 RRB, 2015 WL 8750705 (D. Alaska Dec. 14, 2015) (EQIP program inputting practices including Irrigation Water Management) Text
Koshman v. Vilsack, 865 F.Supp.2d (E.D. Cal. 2012) (USDA did not determine the rice farmer converted wetland on his property in accordance with the law) Text
Adam Bros. Farming, Inc. v. County of Santa Barbara, 604 F.3d 1142 (9th Cir. 2010) (challenge to wetland delineation as a taking) Text
Nat’l Wildlife Fed’n v. Schaefer, No. CV08-1004-JCC (W.D. Wash. July 24, 2008) (allowing haying and grazing of CRP lands). Click here for the full text of the unreported decision.
O’Hagan v. Von Borstel, Adv. No. 03-3523, 2007 WL 3128360 (Bankr. D. Or. Oct. 24, 2007) (CRP contract as partnership asset)
O’Hagan v. Von Borstel, No. 03-3523, 2007 WL 1039202 (Bankr. D. Or. Mar. 29, 2007) (CRP contract as partnership asset)
Citizens for Honesty & Integrity in Reg’l Planning v. County of San Diego, 399 F.3d 1067 (9th Cir. 2005) (jurisdiction) Text
Nat’l Wildlife Fed’n v. Johanns, No. C04-2169Z, 2005 WL 1189583 (W.D. Wash. May 19, 2005) (haying and grazing complaint, standing)
Citizens for Honesty & Integrity in Reg’l Planning v. County of San Diego, 258 F. Supp. 2d 1132 (S.D. Cal. 2003) (preemption) Text
Big Meadows Grazing Ass’n v. United States, 344 F.3d 940 (9th Cir. 2003) (easement, landowner assent) Text
Beard v. Glickman, 189 F.Supp.2d 994, 2001 WL 1807943, (C.D. Cal. 2001) (appealing denial of renewed participation in Conservation Reserve Program) Text
Winchell v. U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture, 961 F.2d 1442 (9th Cir. 1992) (Montana farmer forced into bankruptcy after participation in Soil Conservation Service) Text
TENTH CIRCUIT
TransWest Express LLC v. Vilsack, No. 19-CV-3603-WJM-STV, 2021 WL 1056513 (D. Colo. Mar. 19, 2021) (reconsideration of NRCS’s approval of Conservation Easement Deed; NRCS’s Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Land Trust conservation easement validity question) Text
Penner v. Vilsack, No. 11-1059-KHV, 2011 WL 6258820 (D. Kan. 2011) (failure to exhaust administrative remedies) Text
Biller v. Veneman, 150 Fed. App’x 834 (10th Cir. 2005) (failure to control noxious weeds)
Payton v. USDA, 337 F.3d 1163 (10th Cir. 2003) (jurisdiction) Text
In re Clark, 288 B.R. 237 (Bankr. D. Kan. 2003) (Chapter 12 eligibility) Text
Sanders Land & Cattle Co. v. Dep’t of Agric., 49 Fed. App’x 211 (10th Cir. 2002) (failure to show ownership)
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
Balfour Land Co., L.P. v. United States, No. 7:08-cv-34 (HL), 2009 WL 1796068 (M.D. Ga. June 22, 2009) (termination of CRP contracts by FSA for failing to get FSA approval in selling CRP land)
D.C. CIRCUIT
Multi AG Media LLC v. Dep’t of Agric., Civil Action No. 05-01908 (HHK), 2006 WL 2320941 (D.D.C. Aug. 9, 2006) (FOIA disclosure)
Strong v. Glickman, 50 F.Supp.2d 1, 1999 WL 336045, (D.D.C. Jan. 15, 1999) (Alleging violations of the APA by canceling farmer’s conservation Reserve Program) Text
FEDERAL CIRCUIT
Gilham v. U.S., 164 Fed.Cl. 1 (Fed. Cl. 2023) (BIA has no duty to fulfill terms of CRP contracts) Text
James M. Fogg Farms, Inc. v. United States, 134 Fed.Cl. 363, 2017 WL 4275852 (Fed. Cl. 2017) (Conservation Security Program participants did not have a contractual right to anything provided in CSP statute) Text
Earman v. United States, 114 Fed.Cl. 81 (Fed. Cl. 2013) (Provision of CSP statute were not incorporated into participants contract, precluding breach of contract claims) Text
Doe v. United States, 106 Fed.Cl. 118 (Fed. Cl. 2012) (CSP contracts and administrative exhaustion)
Meyers v. United States, 96 Fed. Cl. 34 (Fed. Cl. 2010) (seeking damages under the Tucker Act for payments ranchers would have received if classified under the Conservation Security Program) Text
Rick’s Mushroom Serv., Inc. v. U.S., 521 F.3d 1338 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (dispute of cost-share agreement) Text
Esch v. United States, 77 Fed. Cl. 582 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (offset of loan debt)
Cottrell v. United States, 71 Fed. Cl. 559 (Fed. Cl. 2006) (statute of limitations; failure to exhaust remedies)
Farmers & Merchants Bank of Eatonton, Georgia v. United States, 43 Fed.Cl. 38 (Fed. Cl. 1999) (lacking jurisdiction over breach of loan guarantee)
United States Tax Court
Montgomery-Alabama River, LLC v. Comm’r of Internal Revenue, 121 T.C.M. (CCH) 1479 (T.C. 2021) (Alabama law would have entitled holder of conservation easement, grantee, to receive compensation in the event of a judicial extinguishment of easement) Text
Vill. at Effingham, LLC v. Comm’r of Internal Revenue, 120 T.C.M. (CCH) 15 (T.C. 2020) (conservation easement did not qualify for charitable contribution deduction) Text
CALIFORNIA
Shuler v. Cap. Agric. Prop. Servs., Inc., No. 2D CIV. B294555, 2020 WL 3444719 (Cal. Ct. App. June 24, 2020), reh’g denied (July 16, 2020), review denied (Sept. 9, 2020) (suing for negligence by NRCS engineers).
County of Colusa v. Cal. Wildlife Conservation Bd., 52 Cal. Rptr. 3d 1 (Cal. Ct. App. 2006) (Williamson Act challenge) Text
Cal. Farm Bureau Fed’n v. Cal. Wildlife Conservation Bd., 49 Cal. Rptr. 3d 169 (Cal. Ct. App. 2006) (California Environmental Quality Act exemption) Text
COLORADO
C.P. Bedrock, LLC v. Denver County Bd. Of Equalization, 259 P.3d 514 (Colo. Ct. App. 2011) (tax classification and treatment) Text
Hepp v. Boulder County Assessor, 113 P.3d 1268 (Colo. Ct. App. 2005) (tax classification and valuation) Text
DELAWARE
O’Neill v. Town of Middletown, C.A. No. 2478-VCN, 2007 WL 1114019 (Del. Ch. Mar. 29, 2007) (zoning, Source Water Protection Program)
FLORIDA
Coulter v. St. John’s Water Mgmt. Dist., 799 So. 2d 267 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2001) (sales transaction involving Wetlands Reserve Program) Text
INDIANA
Kruse v. DeKalb County Plan Comm’n, 29 N.E.3d 821 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015) (violated zoning ordinance)
Webb v. Schleutker, 891 N.E.2d 1144 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008) (CSP payments are marital property) Text
Graham Creek Farms v. Ind. Dep’t of State Revenue, 819 N.E.2d 151 (Ind. Tax Ct. 2004) (tax exemption) Text
IOWA
Swan v. Jackson, 964 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa Ct. App. 2021) (conservation program was responsible for final inspection and approval of the project) Text
Erwin v. Erwin, 957 N.W.2d 318 (Iowa Ct. App. 2021) (power of attorney over tenant for leased land entering CRP contract) Text
Mart v. Mart, 824 N.W.2d 535 (Iowa Ct. App. 2012) (landlords are not entitled to forcible entry and detainer when farm tenant cured material breach by restoration of wetlands and landlords incurred no damages) Text
KANSAS
Kaufman v. Oldenettel, 471 P.3d 731 (Kan. Ct. App. 2020), review denied (Mar. 18, 2021)(Disputed CRP payments) Text
Steffen v. S & S Oil, 237 P.3d 668 (Kan. Ct. App. 2010) (individual must assume CRP contract after purchasing tract of land)
Markel Properties, LLC v. Siebler, No. 94,314, 2006 WL 538554 (Kan. Ct. App. Mar. 3, 2006) (adverse possession)
In re Protest of Smith, 39 P.3d 66 (Kan. 2002) (tax classification) Text
LOUISIANA
Robertson v. Arledge , 54129 ( La. App. 2 Cir 09/22/21). (access to written contract for WRP) Text
Morgan v. Pardue, 206 So.3d 280 (La. Ct. App. 2016) (failed to succeed CRP contract) Text
MISSOURI
K & G Farms v. Monroe County Serv. Co., 134 S.W.3d 40 (Mo. Ct. App. 2003) (landlord’s payment of expenses) Text
MONTANA
Hackley v. Hackley, 2019 MT 95N, 396 Mont. 546, 439 P.3d 387 (contractual obligations stated in CSP Owners Certification) Text
Hjartarson v. Hjartarson, 147 P.3d 164 (Mont. 2006) (designated operator change) Text
Weter v. Archambault, 61 P.3d 771 (Mont. 2002) (wrongful occupation) Text
Henderson v. Estate of Henderson, No. 00-489, 2002 WL 473539 (Mont. Mar. 28, 2002) (breach of contract)
NEBRASKA
Alberts v. Alberts, No. A-18-075, 2019 WL 719001 (Neb. Ct. App. 2019) (CRP payments considered postfiling assets and not part of the marital estate) Text
Mock v. Neumeister, 296 Neb. 376, 892 N.W.2d 569 (2017) (cancelation of penalties under EQIP) Text
Camden v. Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, 854 N.W.2d 334 (Neb. Ct. App. 2014) (failed to show reasonable attempt to induce acceptance of offer to acquire easement) Text
Barthel v. Liermann, 842 N.W.2d 624 (Neb. Ct. App. 2014) (no breach of duty to clean shared drainage ditch) Text
NEW MEXICO
Jicarilla Apache Nation v. Rodarte. 103 P.3d 554 (N.M. 2004) (tax assessment) Text
Jicarilla Apache Nation v. Rodarte, 92 P.3d 642 (N.M. Ct. App. 2004) (tax assessment) Text
NORTH DAKOTA
Schmidt v. Wittinger, 687 N.W.2d 479 (N.D. 2004) (duty of joint tenants) Text
OHIO
Wetland Preservation Ltd. v. Corlett, 975 N.E.2d 1033 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012) (tax valuation) Text
Hardy v. Delaware County Bd. of Revision, 835 N.E.2d 348 (Ohio 2005) (property tax rate)
Wetland Resource Ctr., L.L.C. v. Marion County Auditor, 809 N.E.2d 1202 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004) (tax valuation)
OREGON
Bridgeview Vineyards, Inc. v. State Land Bd. of Or., 154 P.3d 734 (Or. Ct. App. 2007) (state fill and removal law) Text
WASHINGTON
Vivian Loomis Family, LLC v. Bell, No. 36200-1-III, 2019 WL 2241854 (Wash. Ct. App. May 23, 2019) (buildings were not a subordinate part of CRP contracts) Text
Muriby v. Anderson, 172 Wash. Ct. App. 1007 (Wash. Ct. App. 2012) (accord and satisfaction) Text
Cox v. Klicker, 139 Wash. Ct. App. 1003 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007) (division of property)
WISCONSIN
Applegate-Bader Farm, LLC v. Wisconsin Dep’t of Revenue, 2021 WI 26, 396 Wis. 2d 69, 955 N.W.2d 793, reconsideration denied (June 11, 2021) (2015 Wisconsin Tax revision and impact on landowners with conservation easements) Text
Winter v. Wis. Dep’t of Revenue, No. 2005AP2376, 2007 WL 59371 (Wis. Ct. App. Jan. 10, 2007) (assessment) Text
Fee v. Bd. of Review for Florence, 657 N.W.2d 112 (Wis. Ct. App. 2002) (taxation) Text