
USDA Updates the Thrifty Food Plan
- August 31, 2021
- Elizabeth
On August 16, 2021 the Food and Nutrition Service (“FNS”), an agency housed within the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”),...

“Ag-gag” Laws: An Update of Recent Legal Developments
- August 26, 2021
- Elizabeth
State laws limiting photography or recordings on agricultural operations without the consent of the owner are commonly called “ag-gag” or “farm...

EPA Announces Decision to Revoke Chlorpyrifos Tolerances
- August 24, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
On August 19, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced its intention to publish a final rule in the Federal Register...

Pandemic Payments: Aid under Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program
- August 17, 2021
- Elizabeth
Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) announced it is implementing a program for livestock and poultry producers who suffered unexpected...

California Court Finds State Law Claims Not Preempted by FIFRA in Glyphosate Ruling
- August 12, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
A California State Court of Appeal issued a ruling on August 9, 2021, upholding a jury verdict awarding millions of dollars...

Building Blocks: Basics of CRP
- August 5, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
First authorized in the Food Security Act of 1985, the Conservation Reserve Program (“CRP”) is a voluntary program that allows agricultural...

Judge Certifies Two Classes in Lawsuit Challenging Minority Debt Relief Payments
- August 3, 2021
- Elizabeth
In Miller v. Vilsack, five Texas farmers filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) alleging that its loan...

California State Court Issues Pretrial Ruling In Roundup Case
- July 29, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
A week before the trial of another lawsuit challenging the safety of Monsanto Company’s (“Monsanto”) Roundup products is scheduled to start,...

WOTUS Update: EPA Makes Announcement, Status Update for On-Going Lawsuits
- July 22, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
On June 9, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) released a joint statement announcing...

Proposed Tax Exemption for Community Ag Lenders
- July 20, 2021
- Elizabeth
A bill was recently introduced in Congress, known as the Enhancing Credit Opportunities in Rural America Act (“ECORA”) of 2021. ECORA...

New Law Changes Wetland Regulation in the State of Indiana
- July 15, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
In April, 2021, the State of Indiana adopted a new law concerning the regulation of interstate wetlands. Senate Bill 389 (“SB...

From Supreme Court to State Courts, Important Enviro Rulings from June 2021
- July 8, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
The past few month has seen a series of important environmental law decisions from various courts across the United States. The...

Judge’s Order Halts Minority Debt Relief Payments
- July 6, 2021
- Elizabeth
UPDATE: A group of five Texas farmers have filed a class action lawsuit against the USDA (Miller, et al. v. Vilsack, No....

Iowa Supreme Court Dismisses Raccoon River Lawsuit
- July 1, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
On June 18, 2021, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a decision in a lawsuit concerning regulation of the Raccoon River. The...

Legality of Minority Debt Relief Payments Called Into Question
- June 22, 2021
- Elizabeth
UPDATE: On July 6, 2021, the plaintiffs’ temporary restraining order previously issued by the court was dissolved and their motion for...

Court Sets Aside Pesticide Registration For ESA Violations
- June 17, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia recently issued an order vacating an action from Environmental Protection...

Recently Filed Lawsuit Claims that Swampbuster is Unconstitutional
- June 10, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
A farmer in South Dakota has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) alleging that its wetland...

Considering Carbon: Overview of Carbon Market Composition
- June 8, 2021
- Elizabeth
An interest in reducing environmental impacts and achieving climate sustainability within the U.S. is growing significantly among both the public and...

Securing an Interest: Federal Crop Insurance Proceeds
- June 1, 2021
- Elizabeth
In agricultural finance, it is common for creditors to obtain an interest in a farmer’s crop insurance payments to secure a...

The Deal with Dicamba: Report Examines EPA Decision to Register Dicamba in 2018
- May 27, 2021
- Brigit Rollins
On May 24, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) issued a report addressing EPA’s 2018...