by Elizabeth | Feb 10, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Disaster Assistance Programs, Endangered Species Act, Environmental Law, United States Department of Agriculture, Water Law, Western Water
Posted February 10, 2014 The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to provide emergency drought relief in California, according to an Agri-Pulse article available here. H.R. 3964, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, would repeal...
by Elizabeth | Feb 10, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Climate Change, United States Department of Agriculture
Posted February 10, 2014 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently announced the creation of seven regional “climate hubs” for risk adaptation and mitigation of climate change, according to the USDA news release available here. The “climate hubs” will address...
by Elizabeth | Feb 7, 2014 | Administrative Law, Ag & Food Law Update, Continuing Education, Crop Insurance, Food Safety, Food Safety Modernization Act, Immigration, Labor, Leases, Local Food Systems, Water Law
Posted February 7, 2014 The American Agricultural Law Association’s (AALA’s) 35th Annual Conference will be held October 19-21, 2014 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 2014 annual conference will include session on: representing surface owners in oil and gas, water...
by Elizabeth | Feb 7, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Biotechnology, Food Labeling
Posted February 7, 2014 An Illinois lawmaker says he will pursue legislation requiring labeling for genetically modified (GMO) foods, according to an article by the Journal Standard available here. Senate Bill 1666 is available here. Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)...
by Elizabeth | Feb 7, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update
Posted February 7, 2014 Small and urban farmers could lose protection of Michigan’s Right to Farm Act with a recent proposal by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), according to an article by Michigan Radio available here. The Act...
by Elizabeth | Feb 7, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Climate Change, Environmental Law, Farm Bill, International Trade, Labor, Local Food Systems, Nutrition Programs, Urban Agriculture
Posted February 7, 2014 Co-chairs of AGree, a food and agricultural policy group, are urging Congress to try a new approach to food and agricultural policy, according to a Roll Call article available here. Drafting, negotiating, and passing the 2014 farm bill was...
by Elizabeth | Feb 6, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Food Safety
Posted February 6, 2014 Cities are considering rules for food trucks, as the trend gains popularity across the country. Andover, Massachusetts is drafting new rules for when and how food trucks operate, according to an Eagle Tribune article available here. The...
by Elizabeth | Feb 6, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Crop Insurance
Posted February 6, 2014 In RJW Williams Farms, Inc. v. Topflight Grain Co-op., Inc., No. 4-13-0220, 2014 Ill. App., 130220-U, (4th Jan. 23, 2014), the Illinois Court of Appeals affirmed a trial court’s decision that when arbitration contracts are valid and binding,...
by Elizabeth | Feb 5, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update
Posted February 5, 2014 University of California officials say a lawsuit over the rights to berry research and varieties is on hold as UC-Davis and the California Strawberry Commission negotiate a settlement, according to an article by The Packer available here. ...
by Elizabeth | Feb 5, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Local Food Systems, Nutrition Programs
Posted February 5, 2014 A Maine bill would support the expansion of “food hubs,” where small-scale farmers can store, cut or clean their products to ease the distribution process to larger markets, according to an Associated Press article available here. LD 1431,...
by Elizabeth | Feb 4, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Farm Bill, Nutrition Programs
Posted February 4, 2014 Congress has passed a five-year farm bill after a long, arduous process that lasted over two years and split the farm-food coalition, according to a Politico article available here. The Senate approved the bill with a 68-32 vote and the...
by Elizabeth | Feb 4, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Animal Welfare, Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture
Posted February 4, 2014 The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently pulled its inspectors from a New Jersey slaughterhouse after reviewing a video showing inhumane treatment of calves, according to a USA Today article available here. A Catelli...
by Elizabeth | Feb 4, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update
Posted February 4, 2014 Monsanto Co. recently stated its support for industry-wide standards for managing farm data, according to an article by the Wall Street Journal available here. Monsanto acquired Climate Corp., a data analytics company, in October for nearly...
by Elizabeth | Feb 4, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update
Posted February 4, 2014 The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently released a proposed rule which would create minimum hiring and training standards for school nutrition professionals, according to a Farm Futures article available here. The proposed rule...
by Elizabeth | Feb 4, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Biofuels, Clean Air Act, Environmental Protection Agency, Renewable Energy
Posted February 4, 2014 Renewable fuels groups opposed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposal to reduce the 2014 renewable fuel standard (RFS), arguing that the decision violates the Clean Air Act, according to a Bloomberg BNA article available...
by Elizabeth | Feb 3, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update
Posted February 3, 2014 While various produce suppliers claim Allens Inc. owes them over $19 million under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), Allens is disputing $18.3 million of that amount and arguing that the suppliers did not follow proper...
by Elizabeth | Feb 3, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Environmental Law, Water Law
Posted February 3, 2014 A group of New York landowners say they will sue the state if officials fail to release a timeline for making a decision on hydrofracking, according to Terry Weaver of Syracuse.com here. The demand letter is available here. Dan Fitzsimons,...
by Elizabeth | Jan 31, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Country of Origin Labeling, Food Labeling
Posted January 31, 2014 While most celebrated when the U.S. House passed a farm bill on Wednesday, some regional beef producers were disappointed when the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) provision was not excluded, according to an article by AgWeek available here....
by Elizabeth | Jan 31, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update
Posted January 31, 2014 The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) cited a Washington dairy and fined it $6,000 for a manure spill that affected nearby water in violation of the state’s Water Pollution Control Act, according to an AgWeb article available...
by Elizabeth | Jan 30, 2014 | Ag & Food Law Update, Food Safety
Posted January 30, 2014 A federal judge sentenced Eric and Ryan Jensen, owners of the cantaloupe farm linked to a deadly listeria outbreak in 2011, to five years probation, six months home detention, and $150,000 each in restitution fees to victims, according to a...
