by Elizabeth | Jul 25, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Farm Bill, United States Department of Agriculture
Hoosier Ag Today reports that the “American Farm Bureau Federation welcomes the emergency actions U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday to provide assistance to the farm and ranch families suffering from the drought.” According to the article,...
by Elizabeth | Jul 25, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Farm Labor, Labor
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Preserving America’s Family Farm Act, which protects the ability of youth to gain training and education by working on the farm. The measure passed by a voice vote on July 24. According to Wisconsin Ag Connection, “farm...
by Elizabeth | Jul 23, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Disaster Assistance Programs, Farm Bill
Agri-Pulse reports Speaker of the House John Boehner recently told press that “a decision has not yet been made” on advancing the farm bill to the House floor and gave no indication of when a decision would be made. When it comes to disaster relief for farmers...
by Elizabeth | Jul 23, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency withdrew a proposed rule that would have required livestock and poultry farmers to report about their operations and undermined court decisions related to producer obligations under the Clean Water Act. According to Western...
by Elizabeth | Jul 19, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture
The Kansas Department of Agriculture urges farmers and ranchers to immediately meet with their crop insurance appraisers to determine the best management route for drought-damaged crops. WIBW, a Topeka-based news station, reports, “The Topeka regional office for the...
by Elizabeth | Jul 18, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Disaster Assistance Programs, Farm Service Agency, United States Department of Agriculture
“Agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s economy and it is increasingly important that USDA has the tools to act quickly and deliver assistance to farmers and ranchers when they need it most,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a recently...
by Elizabeth | Jul 18, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
Freshman members in the House Agriculture Committee as well as the full House may be “unaware of the history of farm programs’ mishaps and missed opportunities,” but Farm Futures reports, “House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin...
by Elizabeth | Jul 17, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Animal Welfare, Environmental Law, Farm Bill, Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety, Labor, United States Department of Agriculture
According to a recent Monterey Herald article, “a California voter-approved law requiring that hens have cages large enough to let them spread their wings has stirred a national backlash from other livestock producers that threatens not only the state’s humane...
by Elizabeth | Jul 13, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
The 33rd Annual Meeting of the American Agricultural Law Association will be held October 18-20, 2012 at the downtown Sheraton Hotel 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. If you are interested in networking with attorneys and other professionals who work in agriculture and...
by Elizabeth | Jul 12, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Biotechnology, Food Labeling, Webinar
On July 31, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 EST, the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) is hosting a program that will address the California ballot initiative to require labeling of biotech food products. The program,...
by Elizabeth | Jul 12, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture has passed its version of the 2012 Farm Bill, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act. However, this version lacks mandatory energy title funds. Biomass Magazine reports, “Most energy...
by Elizabeth | Jul 12, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Farm Bill, Nutrition Programs
The New York Times reports that the House Agriculture Committee voted to pass its version of a new farm bill that cuts $12 billion more from “SNAP” than a Senate bill passed last month and adds several new crop insurance and price support programs to protect...
by Elizabeth | Jul 11, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
A Senate amendment that would have made mandatory checkoffs for soybeans and other crops voluntary has been defeated. Alan Kemper, chairman of the American Soybean Association, told AgriNews that the defeat of the amendment likely ensures the continuance of the...
by Elizabeth | Jul 11, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
The 33rd Annual Meeting of the American Agricultural Law Association will be held October 18-20, 2012 at the downtown Sheraton Hotel 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. If you are interested in networking with attorneys and other professionals who work in agriculture and...
by Elizabeth | Jul 11, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
In Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court has ruled that rural towns do not have the authority to enforce tougher water-quality standards on livestock farms than what has already been set by the state. The Washington Post reports that the town of “Magnolia, a...
by Elizabeth | Jul 11, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Clean Water Act, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection Agency, NALC Resources, Webinar
On July 24, 2012 from 12-1 Eastern, the National Agricultural Law Center, a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will provide a free webinar titled, “The Clean Water Act, EPA Regulation, and the Future of Farming.” Full...
by Elizabeth | Jul 11, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
The National Sea Grant Law Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law and the National Agricultural Law Center at the University of Arkansas have forged a new partnership that will enhance each Center’s national mission. The National Sea Grant Law...
by Elizabeth | Jul 10, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update
The Washington Post reports the House Agriculture Committee unveiled its approach for a long-term farm and food bill that would reduce spending by $3.5 billion a year. “The legislative draft envisions reducing current food stamp spending projections by $1.6 billion a...
by Elizabeth | Jul 9, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Crop Insurance, Farm Bill
The Hill reports that “lobbyists for rice and peanut farmers who opposed a Senate-passed farm bill backed a draft House version on Friday.” According to the article, “the House draft, released by the chamber’s Agriculture Committee on Thursday,...
by Elizabeth | Jul 9, 2012 | Ag & Food Law Update, Country of Origin Labeling
The World Trade Organization issued its final ruling on Country of Origin Labeling. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President Bob McCan issued the following statement for NCBA. “The World Trade Organization has been extremely clear that mandatory Country of...
