Case Law Index Biosecurity
January 1, 2002 – October 10, 2023
This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving Biosecurity 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.
FIRST CIRCUIT
Allen v. National Institutes of Health, 974 F. Supp. 18, (E. D. Mass. 2013) (funding research for new infectious disease) Text
United States v. Donahoe, 380 F. Supp.2d 1 (D. ME 2005) (compelled disclosure of the importation of illegal biological materials and violations of the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act) Text
U.S. Public Interest Research Group v. Atlantic Salmon of Maine, LLC., 257 F.Supp.2d 407 (D. Me. 2003) (environmental suit about waste in streams) Text
Taylor v. American Chemistry Council, 576 F. 3d 16 (2009) (Supplier duty to warn foreseeable users of dangers in the use of its product of which the supplier knows or should have known) Text
SECOND CIRCUIT
Natural Res. Defense Council v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 613 F.3d 76 (2nd Cir. 2010) (dismissal of allegation that USDA regulation of pest-ridden packing material burdened international trade) Text
Natural Res. Defense Council, Inc. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 2007 WL 1610420 (S.D.N.Y. 2007) (importation of wood containing pests) Text
AG-Innovations, Inc. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 2006 WL 462580 (D. Vt. 2006) (sheep infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) Text
AG-Innovations, Inv. v. U.S. Dept. of Agric., 95 F.App’x 384 (2d Cir. 2004) (sheep infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy)
Baur v. Veneman, 352 F.3d 625 (2d Cir. 2003) (suit to ban the slaughter of downer livestock) Text
United States v. Blue Ribbon Smoked Fish, Inc., 56 F.App’x 542 (2d Cir. 2003) (injunction against processing fish because of listeria) Text
Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Unites States Department of Agriculture (regulations for importation of solid wood packing material (SWPM)) Text
THIRD CIRCUIT
Byrd v. Brittain, 3:20-CV-0164, 2020 WL 8173521 (M.D. Pa. Dec. 2, 2020), report and recommendation adopted, 3:20-CV-00164, 2021 WL 134203 (M.D. Pa. Jan. 14, 2021) (claim against prison for poisoning the food of an inmate) Text
Hu v. Herr Foods, Inc., 251 F. Supp. 3d 813 (E. D. Pa. 2017) (ability to prevent salmonella outbreaks in production) Text
Solae, Inc. v. Hershey Canada, Inc., 557 F.Supp.2d 452 (D. Del. 2008) (soy lecithin allegedly contaminated with Salmonella) Text
Moyer Packing Co. v. United States, 2008 WL 2697330 (E.D. Pa. 2008) (claim against U.S. for faulty inspection of meat) Text
Travelers Indem. Co. v. Dammann & Co., Inc., 2008 WL 370914 (D.N.J. 2008) (vanilla beans contaminated with mercury) Text
Drayton v. Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., 472 F.Supp.2d 638 (E.D. Pa. 2006) (suit over listeria found in poultry) Text
Reichley v. Penn. Dep’t of Agric., 427 F.3d. 236 (3rd. Cir. 2005) (destroying diseased livestock) Text
Drayton v. Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., 2004 WL 765123 (E.D. Pa. 2004) (suit over listeria found in poultry) Text
Tittensor v. County of Montgomery, 2003 WL 22358450 (E.D. Pa. 2003) (government liability of E. coli at a petting zoo) Text
Intercitrus, Ibertrade Commercial Corp. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 2002 WL 1870467 (E.D. Pa. 2002) (suspending importation of Spanish clementine) Text
New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc. v. The Alpen House ULC, Dist. Court, D. New Jersey 2013 (outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus — Type 1 (“EHV-1”) among certain thoroughbred horses) Text
Andrulonis v. US, 724 F. Supp. 1421 – Dist. Court, ND New York 1989 (rabies virus invaded the body of plaintiff Jerome Andrulonis during an experiment conducted by his employer) Text
FOURTH CIRCUIT
Franklin Livestock, Inc. v. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc, 251 F. Supp. 3d 962 (E. D. N. C. 2017) (negligence action for vaccine given to herd of cattle) Text
In re Peanut Corp. of Am., No. 6:10-cv-00027, 2010 WL 3463214 (W.D. Va. Sept. 1, 2010) (disbursement of claims following wide-spread salmonella poisoning) Text
United States v. 1866.75 Bd. Feet & 11 Doors & Castings, 587 F. Supp. 2d 740 (E.D. Va. 2008) (correct interpretation of “household effects” in APHIS) Text
Md. & Va. Milk Producers Coop. Ass’n, Inc. v. Crowell Farms, Inc., 102 F.App’x 267 (4th Cir. 2004) (antibiotics contaminating raw milk) Text
Lutz v. CASE FARMS, LLC, Dist. Court, WD North Carolina 2020 (Animal (chicken) welfare) Text
FIFTH CIRCUIT
Cascabel Cattle Co. v. United States, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 190572 (movement of cattle beyond temporary quarantine without a permit) Text
In re Supreme Beef Processors, Inc., 468 F.3d 248 (5th Cir. 2006) (HACCP standards that are unmet) Text
SIXTH CIRCUIT
N. Am. Deer Farmers Ass’n v. Gassett, No. 3:08-04-DCR, 2008 WL 4148907 (E.D. Ky. Sept. 2, 2008) (statute to prevent chronic wasting disease) Text
Smith v. Harrison, 2008 WL 2713713 (E.D. Tenn. 2008) (alleged e. coli. contamination of meat) Text
Lacy v. U.S. Dep’t. of Agric., 2008 WL 2178099 (6th Cir. 2008) (violation of the HPA because of West Nile Virus) Text
Dailey v. Veneman, 2002 WL 31780191 (6th Cir. 2002) (interstate commerce of state-inspected meat)
United States v. WALNUTDALE FAMILY FARMS, LLC, Dist. Court, WD Michigan 2021 (Violation of Section 301 of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), and the terms and conditions of two National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”)) Text
SEVENTH CIRCUIT
Campbell v. Supervalu, Inc., 565 F.Supp.2d 969 (N.D. Ind. 2008) (alleged contamination of ground beef) Text
Campbell v. Supervalu, 2007 WL 891682 (N.D. Ind. 2007) (civil suits for E. Coli are not pre-empted by the FMIA) Text
In re StarLink Corn Products Liab. Litig., 212 F.Supp.2d 828 (N.D. Ill. 2002) (unapproved GM corn in the food supply) Text
Rose Acre Farms, Inc. v. Madigan, 956 F. 2d 670 – Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit 1992 (Transmission of salmonella enteritidis serotype enteritidis) Text
EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Reynolds, 353 F. Supp. 3d 812 (S. Iowa 2019) (preliminary injunction against animal facility protection act) Text
Kuehl v. Sellner, 161 F. Supp. 678 (N.D. Iowa 2016) (stems from APHIS inspection of Iowa zoo health and safety concerns) Text
Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund v. Sebelius, No. C 10-4018-MWB, 2010 WL 3304204 (N.D. Iowa Aug. 18, 2010) (challenge to FDA regulations of milk sold in interstate commerce) Text
Schwartz v. Bayer CropScience, LP, 718 F.Supp.2d 950 (E.D. Ark. 2010) (contaminating non-GM rice with GM rice) Text
Save Lake Superior Ass’n v. Napolitano, No. 08-CV-1173 (JMR/RLE), 2009 WL 690089 (D. Minn. Mar. 12, 2009) (challenging order to prevent movement of fish under AHPA) Text
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 566 F.Supp.2d 955 (D. S.D. 2008) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
Hutchen v. Wal-Mart Stores East I, LP, 2008 WL 1732938 (E.D. Mo. 2008) (E. Coli in spinach) Text
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 2008 WL 413728 (D. S.D. 2008) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
In re Genetically Modified Rice Litig., 2007 WL 3027581 (E.D. Mo. 2007) (GM rice in the food chain) Text
Willman v. Riceland Foods, Inc., 630 F.Supp.2d 999 (E.D. Ark. 2007) (GM rice in the food chain) Text
United States v. 8,800 Pounds of Powdered Egg White, 2007 WL 2955571 (E.D. Mo. 2007) (importation of eggs without a permit) Text
Barnes v. United States, 448 F.3d 1065 (8th Cir. 2006) (negligent inspection of poultry plant) Text
Neb. Beef, Ltd. v. Greening, 398 F.3d 1080 (8th Cir. 2005) (suit challenging a comprehensive new regulatory scheme for meat inspection) Text
Behrens v. United Vaccines, Inc., 189 F.Supp.2d 945 (D. Minn. 2002) (canine vaccines and warranties) Text
BADER FARMS, INC. v. Monsanto Co., Dist. Court, ED Missouri 2019 (Conspiracy to create an “ecological disaster”) Text
NINTH CIRCUIT
Hungler v. Valley Garlic Inc., 2017 WL 1165903 (E.D. Cal. 2017) (preliminary injunction by secretary of agriculture) Text
Ctr. For Food Safety v. Hamburg, 954 F. Supp. 965 (E.D. Cal. 2013) (injunction for imposing deadlines for finalization of regulations) Text
Paramount Farms, Inc. v. Vintelex B.V., No. CV F 09-1027 LJO SKO, 2010 WL 3341894 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 23, 2010) (pasteurization of almonds) Text
Ctr. For Food Safety v. Johanns, 2007 WL 3072860 (D. Haw. 2007) (approval of GMO crops without an environmental impact study) Text
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 499 F.3d 1108 (9th Cir. 2007) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, 2007 WL 1302981 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (motion to modify injunction in roundup ready alfalfa) Text
Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, 2007 WL 776146 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (preliminary injunction order in roundup ready alfalfa)
Geertson Seed Farms v. Johanns, 2007 WL 518624 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (motion on judgment in roundup ready alfalfa)
Allflex USA, Inc. v. Avid Identification Sys., Inc., 2007 WL 2701331 (C.D. Cal. 2007) (RFID chips)
Geertson Farms, Inc. v. Johanns, 439 F.Supp.2d 1012 (N.D. Cal. 2006) (motion to dismiss in roundup ready alfalfa) Text
Cactus Corner, LLC. v. United States Dep’t of Agric., 450 F.3d 428 (9th Cir. 2006) (APHIS and mandatory risk analysis) Text
Ranchers Cattleman Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. Johanns, 415 F.3d 1078 (9th Cir. 2005) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. United States Dep’t of Agric., 415 F.3d 1078 (9th Cir. 2005) (preliminary injunctive barring implications of Canadian beef imports with “mad cow”) Text
Cal. Avocado Com’n. v. Johanns, 2005 WL 1344203 (E.D. Cal. 2005) (lifting the quarantine on Mexican avocados)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 2004 WL 1047837 (D. Mont. 2004) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
Cactus Corner, LLC v. United States Dep’t of Agric., 346 F. Supp. 2d 1075 (E.D. Cal. 2004) (APHIS and retroactive application) Text
Center for Food Safety v. Vilsack, 718 F. 3d 829 – Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit 2013 (transgenic contamination) Text
Syngenta Seeds, Inc. v. County of Kauai, 842 F. 3d 669 – Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit 2016 (Regulation of pesticides and genetically engineered (GE) plants) Text
TENTH CIRCUIT
Thornton v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 1:20-CV-105-KWR-SMV, 2020 WL 5076083 (D.N.M. Aug. 27, 2020) (FMIA preempts state tort lawsuits about meat labeling) Text
Big Cats of Serenity Springs, Inc. v. Rhodes, 843 F.3d 853 (10th Cir. 2016) (AHPIS inspectors “forcible entry” for lack of USDA regulation compliance) Text
Wyoming v. United States, 279 F.3d 1214 (10th Cir. 2002) (vaccinating elk on National Elk Range) Text
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Herbert, Dist. Court, D. Utah 2017 (“ag-gag” laws) Text
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
In re ConAgra Peanut Butter Products Liab. Litig., 2008 WL 2132233 (N.D. Ga. 2008) (Salmonella contamination of peanut butter) Text
IBP, Inc. v. Hady Enterprises, Inc., 267 F.Supp.2d 1148 (N.D. Fla. 2002) (importation of unauthorized meat) Text
Breaking Free, LLC v. JCG Foods of Alabama, LLC, Dist. Court, ND Alabama 2021 (Violation of Packers and Stockyards Act (“PSA”), and the Agricultural Fair Practices Act (“AFPA”)) Text
D.C. CIRCUIT
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, L.L.C. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 539 F.3d 492 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (denial of mad cow testing for all cattle slaughtered) Text
Int’l Ctr. for Tech. Assessment v. Johanns, 473 F. Supp. 2d 9 (D.D.C. 2007) (glyphosate-resistant creeping bentgrass) Text
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, L.L.C. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 517 F.Supp.2d 8 (D.D.C. 2007) (self-testing for BSE) Text
Munsell v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 435 F.Supp.2d 149 (D.D.C. 2006) (claim against harsh regulation by meat processor) Text
Nw. Univ. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 403 F.Supp.2d 83 (D.D.C. 2005) (FOIA claim against APHIS) Text
San Juan Audubon Soc’y v. Wildlife Servs., Animal & Plant Health Inspection Serv., 257 F.Supp.2d 133 (D.D.C. 2003) (poison traps and endangered species) Text
Castlewood Prods. v. Norton, 264 F. Supp. 2d 9 (D.D.C. 2003) (seizure of lumber shipments) Text
American Fed’n of Gov’t Employees, AFL-CIO v. Veneman, 284 F.3d 125 (D.C. Cir. 2002) (modified system of meat inspection) Text
Born Free USA v. Norton, 278 F. Supp. 2d 5 – Dist. Court, Dist. of Columbia 2003 (Elephant welfare–importation of eleven African elephants from Swaziland) Text
FEDERAL CIRCUIT
Intervet Inc. v. Merial Ltd., 617 F.3d 1282 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (intellectual property dispute regarding pig vaccine) Text
Tex. Bio- & Agro- Defense Consortium v. United States, 87 Fed. Cl. 798 (Fed. Cl. 2009) (challenging site selection for biosecurity facility)
Cebe Farms, Inc. v. United States, 83 Fed. Cl. 491 (Fed. Cl. 2008) (taking of uninfected breeder chickens)
AG-Innovations, Inc. v. United States, 82 Fed.Cl. 69 (Fed. Cl. 2008) (takings suit for sheep with scrapies) Text
Am. Airlines, Inc. v. United States, 77 Fed. Cl. 672 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (uncollected user fees for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection fee)
Cont’l Airlines, Inc. v. United States, 77 Fed. Cl. 482 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (uncollected user fees for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection fee)
Rose Acre Farms, Inc. v. United States, 53 Fed. Cl. 504 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (taking of allegedly salmonella-infested eggs) Text
Page v. United States, 50 F.App’x 409 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (ostrich quarantine stations) Text
ALABAMA
Breaking Free, LLC v. JCG Foods of Alabama, LLC, Dist. Court, ND Alabama 2021 (Violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act (“PSA”)) Text
COLORADO
Keyah Grande, LLC v. Colo. Dep’t of Agric., 159 P.3d 727 (Colo. Ct. App. 2006) (elk herd and chronic wasting disease) Text
FLORIDA
Brown v. Fla. Dep’t of Agric. & Consumer Servs., 946 So.2d 646 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2007) (confiscation of cattle by state) Text
G.A. Mack v. Florida Dep’t of Agric. & Consumer Servs., 912 So.2d 1274 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2005) (confiscation of orange trees) Text
INDIANA
TDM Farms, Inc. v. Wilhoite Family Farm, 969 NE 2d 97 – Ind: Court of Appeals 2012 (Highly contagious virus — the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (“PRRS”) — introduced to hog farm) Text
IOWA
Scheer Agri-Enterprises, Inc. v. Ledger Swine Farms, Inc., 19-1799, 2020 WL 7383789 (Iowa Ct. App. Dec. 16, 2020) (contract case concerning deadly disease in pigs.) Text
IOWA AG v. Iowa State Bd. of Tax Review, 723 NW 2d 167 – Iowa: Supreme Court 2006 (Hog confinement buildings) Text
Honomichl v. Valley View Swine, LLC, 914 NW 2d 223 – Iowa: Supreme Court 2018 (Confined animal feeding operations negligence) Text
MICHIGAN
Dep’t of Envtl. Quality v. Twp. of Worth, No. 289724, 2010 WL 3238905 (Mich. Ct. App. Aug. 17, 2010) (state is not required to build sanity sewer system after failure) Text
MINNESOTA
Yang v. County of Carver, 660 NW 2d 828 – Minn: Court of Appeals 2003 (Conditional use permit to operate a custom slaughterhouse) Text
MISSISSIPPI
Slay v. Spell, 882 So.2d 254 (Miss. Ct. App. 2004) (failure of processing plant to screen for E. coli) Text
MISSOURI
Missouri ex rel. Schmitt v. People’s Rep. of China, 610 F. Supp. 3d 1174 – Dist. Court, ED Missouri 2022 (Transmission of COVID-19) Text
NEBRASKA
Blitzkie v. State, 491 NW 2d 42 – Neb: Supreme Court 1992 (Hog pseudorabies outbreak) Text
New York
City of New York v. Beretta U.S.A Corp., 222 F.R.D. 51 (E. D. NY 2004) (motion to quash subpoena) Text
OHIO
Wygonski v. Medina Cty. Agric. Soc’y., 785 N.E.2d 831 (Ohio C.P. 2002) (E. coli at fairgrounds and government liability) Text
Wygonski v. Medina Cty. Agric. Soc’y., 785 N.E.2d 827 (Ohio C.P. 2002) (E. coli at fairgrounds and government liability) Text
PENNSYLVANIA
Sweeney v. Merrymead Farm, Inc., 799 A.2d 972 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2002) (E. coli at a petting zoo) Text
COM. EX REL. VALIMONT v. BUCKS CO., 53 Pa. D. & C. 2d 550 – Pa: Court of Common Pleas 1971 (Discharge of leachate into the watercourses) Text
TENNESSEE
Erickson v. Fahrmeier, 2019 WL 6040787 (E. D. Tenn. 2019) (biosecurity screening for high quality sheep) Text
Bean v. Bredesen, 2005 WL 1025767 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005) (banning the private ownership of deer) Text
VIRGINIA
Board of Sup’rs of Rockingham County v. Stickley, 556 S.E.2d 748 (Va. 2002) (game birds and disease) Text
WASHINGTON
Fabrique v. Choice Hotels Intern., Inc., 183 P.3d 1118 (Wash. Ct. App. 2008) (Salmonella poisoning) Text
Honcoop v. State, 759 P. 2d 1188 – Wash: Supreme Court 1988 (Brucellosis disease infecting cattle) Text
WISCONSIN
Wilson v. Tuxen, 2008 WL 2097394 (Wis. Ct. App. 2008) (sale of diseased dairy herd) Text
Patrick Fur Farm v. United Vaccines, Inc., 286 Wis. 2d 774 (preemption of state law by federal law on governing animal vaccines) Text
Kautz ex rel. Kautz v. Ozaukee County Agric. Soc’y, 688 N.W.2d 771 (Wis. Ct. App. 2004) (E. coli infection and recreational immunity statute) Text
Gumz v. Northern States Power Co., 742 NW 2d 271 – Wis: Supreme Court 2007 (damage to dairy herd) Text