Agricultural Finance
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—January 24, 2024
National Agricultural Policy: Continuing Resolution Funds Government, Agriculture Until March 1, 2024 🌾
On January 19, 2024, President Joe Biden signed into law continuing resolution H.R.2872, which maintains the funding levels established in the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 117–328) for “Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies” and other government programs and agencies until March 1, 2024. The programs were previously funded through January 19, 2024, under continuing resolution H.R.6363, passed November 16, 20223. Congress passed the continuing resolutions in the absence of a 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
National Agricultural Policy: GAO Publishes Report on […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—September 11, 2023
Antitrust: Federal Court Dismisses Monopsony Claims Against Tyson Fresh Meats 🌾
On August 28, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington issued an order granting Tyson Fresh Meats Inc.’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former cattle feeder, Cody Allen Easterday. Easterday v. Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., No. 4:23-cv-05019. Easterday alleged that the company created a monopsony market in the Pacific Northwest where cattle feeders “have no reasonable choice but to contract with [Tyson]” in violation of the Packers and Stockyard Act, the Sherman Antitrust Act, and the Washington Consumer Protection Act. The […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—September 4, 2023
WOTUS: EPA and Army Issue ‘Waters of the United States’ Pre-Publication Final Rule 🌾
On August 29, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the U.S. Department of the Army, announced that the agencies had released a pre-publication final rule and regulatory text changes to amend the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) in accordance with Sackett v. EPA. According to an accompanying fact sheet released by the agencies, the final rule omits “interstate wetlands” from the “interstate waters” jurisdictional language and “wetlands and streams” from the “additional waters” jurisdictional language; removes the […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—August 21, 2023
Local Food: PA Department of Agriculture Seeks Comments on Plans for USDA Funding from Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program 🌾
On August 15, 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) released a public request for comment on the agency’s proposed priorities for its cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, through which PDA anticipates it will receive approximately $26.5 million. PDA issued the following statement: “The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is seeking public comments to ensure that the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program best meets the current needs of Pennsylvania’s agricultural supply […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 8, 2023
Conservation Programs: USDA Begins Implementation Phase of Climate-Smart Commodities Program Projects 🌾
On April 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the beginning of the implementation phase of projects funded through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. With the implementation phase, USDA is launching the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Learning Network (Partnerships Network). This Partnership Networks allows for collaboration between projects. Producers interested in participating can find projects in their area through the project dashboard. For background, see ALWR—Dec. 16, 2022, “Conservation Programs: USDA Announces Additional $325 Million for Climate-Smart Commodities Projects” and ALWR—Sept. […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—April 17, 2023
Water Quality: North Dakota Federal Court Enjoins WOTUS Final Rule in 24 States 🌾
On April 12, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota issued a preliminary injunction immediately effective in 24 states against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) January 2023 WOTUS Final Rule in West Virginia v. U.S. EPA, No. 3:23-cv-00032. In addition to a previously-issued federal court injunction issued in Texas, effective in Texas and Idaho, the new injunction is effective in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—April 10, 2023
Water Quality: Stay Granted in Litigation on Petition to Compel Revision of Clean Water Act CAFO Regulations 🌾
On April 3, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit entered an order staying a petition for writ of mandamus filed against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by several environmental groups, pursuant to a joint stipulation filed by the parties in the case of Food & Water Watch, et al v. USEPA, No. 22-70226. According to the terms of the stay, EPA must respond by August 15, 2023 to a 2017 petition asking the agency […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—February 20, 2023
Food Labeling: Multidistrict Litigation Panel Consolidates Beyond Meat False Advertising Cases 🌾
On February 1, 2023, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation issued a transfer order consolidating in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois five cases alleging false advertising claims against Beyond Meat, Inc., which manufactures plant-based meat substitute products. In RE: Beyond Meat, Inc., Protein Content Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, No. 1:23-cv-00669. According to the transfer order, the plaintiffs claim that Beyond Meat “(1) miscalculates and overstates its products’ protein content; (2) miscalculates and overstates the quality of the products’ protein, which […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—January 23, 2023
WOTUS: EPA Publishes Final Rule Defining ‘the Waters of the United States’ 🌾
On January 18, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers published in the Federal Register a final rule revising the definition of “the Waters of the United States” (WOTUS). This rule defines the range of the waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and will take effect March 20, 2023. According to EPA, the new definition better represents the intent of the CWA, Supreme Court case law, and scientific expertise. More information on the new rule […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—Week Ending October 21, 2022
Animal Welfare: Utah State Jury Finds Animal Activist Not Guilty of Burglary and Theft for Taking Two Piglets from Smithfield-Owned Swine Operation 🌾
On October 8, 2022, a Utah state court jury found Wayne Hsiung not guilty of theft and burglary for removing two piglets from a swine production facility owned and operated by Smithfield Foods’ Circle Four Farms while conducting an undercover investigation of the facility in March 2017. Utah v. Hsiung, No. 181500061 (5th Dist. Utah). Hsiung, a member of the animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere, was indicted and arrested in May 2018, although […]
