A comprehensive summary of today’s judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in agriculture and food. Email important additions HERE.

JUDICIAL: Animal Welfare

In Nonhuman Rts. Project, Inc. v. Breheny, No. 52, 2022 WL 2122141 (N.Y. June 14, 2022), plaintiffs sued defendant seeking a writ of habeas corpus relief on behalf of Happy, an elephant at the Bronx Zoo. The court held that a writ of habeas corpus was intended to protect the liberty rights of human beings and does not apply to a nonhuman animal who is not a “person” subject to illegal detention.

LEGISLATIVE: Includes Iowa, South Carolina

IOWA

HF 2431 requires home food processing establishments must label homemade food items with certain information and provides civil penalties. Info here.

LEGISLATIVE: Includes South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA

SC 1117 expands the state’s Grain Producer Guaranty Fund to include cotton producers and establishes an Agricultural Commodities Advisory Commission to make recommendations to the state’s Department of Agriculture regarding the duties of the department in the administration of the guaranty fund. Info here.

REGULATORY: AMS, EPA, FCA, FWS

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

Final rule amending Marketing Order No. 925, which regulates the handling of grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California. The amendments change the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee’s size, and its quorum and voting requirements. Info here.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Notice inviting public comment on the EPA’s and NOAA’s proposed finding that Illinois has satisfied all conditions the agencies established as part of their 2016 approval of the State’s coastal nonpoint pollution control program. Info here.

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

Proposed rule designed to increase direct lender associations’ Young, Beginning, and Small farmer and rancher activity and reinforce the supervisory responsibilities of the funding banks, authorized by section 4.19 of the Farm Credit Act. Info here.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Final rule announcing that FWS is listing the marron bacora (Solanum conocarpum), a plant species from the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, as an endangered species and are designating critical habitat for the species under the Endangered Species Act. Info here.

Notice announcing that FWS received an application from Park Square Enterprises, LLC for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act to take the federally listed sand skink incidental to the construction of residential development in Lake County, Florida. Info here.