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 that take the reader to primary documents or websites with additional resources. Please email important additions to: camarigg@uark.edu

Table of Contents
– Case Law
– Legislative
– Regulatory

CASE LAW: Today’s cases include Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, setoff rights and RICO issues.
Federal:
• FRESH PACKING CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. ROBERTO P. GUICHO, SR., et al., Defendants., No. 15-CV-01551-LHK, 2016 WL 1718286 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 29, 2016) – Awarding of attorney’s fees in a Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act case.
• Guar. Bank & Trust Co. v. Agrex, Inc., No. 15-60445, 2016 WL 1720105 (5th Cir. Apr. 28, 2016) – Lender’s perfected PMSI has priority over a commodity future contract holder’s setoff rights.
• Carlin v. Dairyamerica, Inc., No. 1:09-CV-0430 AWI DLB, 2016 WL 1734182 (E.D. Cal. May 2, 2016) – Marketing order and RICO case.

LEGISLATIVE: Includes outpatient services, Veterans’ Affairs, and Family Medical Leave Act. 

H.R. 5164: To provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals.
Sponsor: Rep. Lynn Jenkins [R-KS2]
This bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on Ways and Means which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.

H.R. 5166: To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain employees of Members of Congress and certain employees of State or local governmental agencies with access to case-tracking information of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep. Ted Yoho [R-FL3]
This bill was referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.

H.Res. 718: Honoring the 75th Anniversary of Flotilla 11-1, 8th District-Western Rivers Region, Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Sponsor: Rep. Erik Paulsen [R-MN3]
This resolution was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.

H.R. 5165: To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide a partial exemption to veterans from the eligibility requirements, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. John Delaney [D-MD6]
This bill was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, House Committee on House Administration, and one other committee which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.

REGULATORY: Includes EPA and FSA Rules 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: Rule This rule establishes tolerances of mefenoxam in or on rapeseed subgroup 20A. Syngenta requested the tolerances under the FFDCA. Info here.

FARM SERVICE AGENCY: Rule This is a correction to the final rule in the March 2, 2016 Federal Register. That rule replaced two others relating to the FSA’s procedures for implementing NEPA.
Environmental Policies and Procedures; Corrections

Environmental Policies and Procedures; Corrections
This replaces the introductory paragraph (a) of the document entitled “Environmental Policies and Procedures” that was in the March 2, 2016 Federal Register

See also: RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE, RURAL HOUSING SERVICE and RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE