The following information is a comprehensive, though not necessarily exhaustive, summary of today’s judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in agriculture and food. Many of the summaries provide links to primary documents or websites with additional resources. Please email important additions to: camarigg@uark.edu

In Hettinger v. City of Strawberry Point, No. 15-0610, 2016 WL 2748408 (Iowa Ct. App. May 11, 2016), plaintiff appealed from summary judgment entered for defendant on his claims of breach of a farm lease and damages. Appellate court affirmed that the lease was properly terminated and plaintiff did not have a contractual right to bale the corn stover and use it off the leased property or sell it. Read the opinion here.

H.R. 897: Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2015
This bill was added to the House’s schedule for the coming week. Committees assigned to this bill sent it to the House or Senate as a whole for consideration on March 19, 2015.

H.R. 1887: To authorize the Comptroller General of the United States to assess a study on the alternatives for the disposition of Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and for other purposes.
This bill passed in the House on May 16, 2016 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.

H.R. 5247: To provide short-term water supplies to drought-stricken California and provide for long-term investments in drought resiliency throughout the Western United States.
This bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, House Committee on Natural Resources, and 2 other committees for review before it goes to the House floor. Sponsor: Rep. John Garamendi [D-CA3]

MEETING: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry will meet to examine a review of the United States livestock and poultry sectors, focusing on marketplace opportunities and challenges. The meeting will be held May 26 at 10 a.m. in SH-216.

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT: Notice of increase of the FY 2016 raw cane sugar tariff-rate quota of 127,006 MTRV. Details here.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: Rule establishing an exemption from the requirement of tolerance for quaternary ammonium compounds. Info here.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: Notice of Opportunity for commodity boards to submit topics and contribute funding under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grants program. Info here.

RURAL HOUSING SERVICE: Rule that RHS is amending the current regulation for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program on the subject of liquidation value appraisals. Details here.