12th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference

Agriculture in the Mid-South is uniquely impacted by changes and developments in state, federal, and international laws and policies. This program is part of a long-term effort to provide relevant and timely agricultural and environmental legal research and information to attorneys, lenders, accountants, tax consultants, students and other agricultural professionals involved in the agricultural industries in the southern U.S. The goal is to provide resources in the form of presentations and content, as well as to foster dialogue about the range of agricultural, food, and environmental law issues for the Mid-South agricultural community. Additionally, on the evening before (June 5th) conference attendees are invited to network and visit with colleagues as we host a “Beer and BBQ” reception at Rendezvous, a Memphis icon.

This conference will take place in person in Memphis, Tennessee, but will also be live streamed online for attendees who are unable to attend in person. It will feature 6 hours of continuing education, including an hour of ethics. Further, for participants who register by May 13th, 3 “bonus hours” of online continuing education will also be included. More information on continuing education credit is available below.

Date & Time:

Thursday, June 5, 2025: “Beer & BBQ” Networking Dinner (sponsored by Peoples Company)
Friday, June 6, 2025: Main Program

Location

University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Live-streamed online for virtual participation

Cost:

Attendees seeking continuing education credit (CLE/CE): $275
Government employees: $225
Other attendees, not seeking professional credit: $200
Undergraduate or Law Students: $75

Conference Agenda:

May 14 Early Bird (Online)

9:30 – 10:30: Perspectives on State Ag Departments, Trade, & Ag Industry

Keynote Address from Wes Ward, Arkansas Department of Agriculture and 2024-2025 President, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture

10:30 – 11:30: Ag Land Transactions in the Mid-South: Update on Market & Legal Trends

Quinn Kendrick, General Counsel, Peoples Company
Dave Muth, Director of Capital Markets, Peoples Company

11:30 – 11:35: Break

11:35 – 12:35: Halfway There: Mid-Year Mid-South Review of Legal Developments

Elizabeth Rumley, Senior Staff Attorney, National Agricultural Law Center
Brigit Rollins, Staff Attorney (Environmental Law), National Agricultural Law Center

June 6, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

7:00 – 8:25 a.m.: Registration & Breakfast

8:30-9:30 a.m.: Solar Leases & Development in the Mid-South: Pointers and Pitfalls

Seth Hampton, Member, Rose Law Firm
Will Veve, DESRI

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Shifting Sands: Agency Authority, Ag, & Food in a Post-Chevron World

Grant Ballard, Partner, Ark Ag Law, PLLC
John Dillard, Principal, USDA Practice Head, Olsson Frank Weeda

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.: Break

10:45 – 11:45 a.m.: Update from the Potomac: Farm Bill, Ag Trade, EPA, & Related Federal Issues

Fitzhugh Elder IV, Republican Staff Director, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

11:45 – 1:00 p.m.: Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.: Legal Ethics for Ag Industry Professionals: CFIUS, Foreign Ownership, & National Security

Asa Hutchinson, 46^th Governor of Arkansas, Former Under Secretary, United States Department of Homeland Security, Founder, Asa Hutchinson Law Group

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Dealing with Debt: Practical Considerations in Preparing for & Navigating Ag Bankruptcy

Renee S. Williams, Chapter 12 trustee, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas
Russell D. Morgan, CAC, Morgan Agricultural Consulting Svcs (MACS)

3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Break

3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Groundwater Law & Agriculture in the Mid-South: Taking Stock of the Road Ahead

Ed Swaim, Executive Director, Bayou Meto Water Management District

Sponsorships:

Contact NALC Director Harrison Pittman for more information at hmpittm@uark.edu.

Lodging:

Organizers have not reserved a conference block of rooms, but several hotels are located across the street from or within a block of the law school. Click here for a map.

Continuing Education:

For the June 6th conference:

Legal- This program will be submitted for CLE accreditation in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers: This program will be submitted for CE accreditation

For the “bonus” online CLE on May 14th:

Legal- This program will be submitted for CLE accreditation in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers: This program will be submitted for CE accreditation

Attendees routinely apply for continuing education credit in other states or for other professions. For more information and assistance, email Rusty Rumley.