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Agricultural Law Weekly Review —November 28, 2019

Agricultural Labor: House Judiciary Committee Acts on Farm Workforce Modernization Bill
On November 20, 2019, the United States House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee passed out of committee H.R. 5038, titled “Farm Workforce Modernization Act,” by a vote of 18-12.  The passage out of the Judiciary committee is a first step for the bill which was introduced on November 12, 2019, with 25 Democratic and 23 Republican co-sponsors. It remains under consideration in three other House committees.  The bill is the first farm workforce bill to be advanced out of any committee in 2019 and may become a focus of farm workforce […]

December 1st, 2019|Tags: , , , , |

Agricultural Law Weekly Review – October 24, 2019

Invasive Species: USDA Announces Plum Pox Virus Eradicated in U.S.
On October 17, 2019, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach announced the elimination of Plum Pox Virus (PPV) within the United States.  PPV is a viral disease-causing deformities and decay in stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, almonds, cherries, and plums, which typically exhibit severe symptoms.  PPV can also infect popular garden items including tomatoes, peas, petunias, and zinnias.  According to the USDA, while PPV does not kill trees and is not harmful to humans or animals, it lowers fruit production and marketability, causing economic damage to […]
October 24th, 2019|Tags: , , , , |

Agricultural Law Weekly Review – October 10, 2019

Taxation: IRS Announces Livestock Replacement Extension for Farmers Affected by Drought.
On September 30, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a one-year extension for farmers to replace livestock sold in response to severe drought conditions.  According to Notice 2006-82, qualifying sales are limited to livestock owned for draft, dairy, or breeding purposes.  The livestock must have been sold entirely on account of drought, and the farmer or rancher must have qualified for the four-year replacement period.  Farmers in applicable regions may now delay replacing livestock until the end of the tax year following the “first drought-free year” and may also defer capital […]
October 23rd, 2019|Tags: , , , , |

Agricultural Law Weekly Review – September 13, 2019

Water Quality: EPA Seeks Comment on Water Quality Trading Policy
On September 5, 2019, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that the agency is seeking comment on guidance issued in the memorandum, Updating the EPA’s Water Quality Trading Policy to Promote Market-Based Mechanisms for Improving Water Quality.  Specifically, EPA requests comment on one of the principles outlined in the memo which states that EPA “encourages simplicity and flexibility in implementing baseline concepts.”  The memo asks stakeholders to consider the best way to apply the load allocation baseline in order to improve water quality.  Under the Clean Water Act, […]

September 13th, 2019|Tags: , , , , |