Biotechnology
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—June 24, 2025
This Week—Fri. June 27 at Noon: Pennsylvania’s Clean & Green Program: County-Level Administration
Register Now—2025 PA Agricultural Law Symposium, Sept. 18, 2025, at Univ. Park, PA.
Antitrust: Federal Court Approves $398 Million Settlement in Chicken Processor Wage-Fixing Class Action 🌾
On June 5, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued orders granting approval of a $398 million settlement fund and award of $132 million in attorney’s fees in a 2019 class action suit claiming that multiple national chicken processers conspired to fix and suppress employee wages. Jien v. Perdue Farms, Inc., No. 1:19-cv-02521. The […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—June 17, 2025
This week: An Overview of State Grain Dealer Statutes in the United States, Wed. June 18 at noon. Center Director Ross Pifer presents with the National Agricultural Law Center.
Next week: Understanding Pennsylvania’s Clean & Green Program: County-Level Administration, Fri. June 27 at noon. Attorney CLE available.
Technology: Federal Court Allows Deere Antitrust Case to Proceed 🌾
On June 9, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued an opinion and order denying Deere & Company’s motion for judgment on the pleadings and allowing the advancement of a case alleging that the company’s repair restrictions violate […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—June 3, 2025
National Agricultural Policy: House Ag Committee Publishes Draft Budget Resolution Plan 🌾
On May 12, 2025, the House Committee on Agriculture announced the publication of its draft text to accommodate the federal budget resolution’s reconciliation directives (H. Con. Res. 14). Additionally, the committee published a section-by-section overview of the draft. For more detail on the bill’s provisions, see Peggy Kirk Hall, House Farm Bill Reconciliation Summary Overview, Ohio St. Univ. Ext. Farm Off. Blog (May 27, 2025) and Kristine A. Tidgren, What Tax Provisions are in the House’s Big Beautiful Bill?, Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 20, 2025
This Week! Wed. May 21: NALC Webinar Will Explore Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements for Farm Operators
Next Week: Fri. May 30: Understanding the Basics of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (free attorney CLE available)
Agribusiness: Pennsylvania Opens Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program, $500,000 Available 🌾
On May 17, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin a notice (55 Pa.B. 3427) of the standards and requirements for the Agricultural Business Development Center’s (ABDC) Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program. According to the notice, the program will provide grants up to $15,000, limited […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 13, 2025
Next Week! Wed. May 21, 2025, Navigating ADA Compliance for Agritourism Guests, Jackie Schweichler presents with the National Agricultural Law Center
Registration Open! 2025 Pennsylvania Agricultural Law Symposium—Thurs. Sept. 18, 2025
Pesticides/Herbicides: Pennsylvania Superior Court Upholds $175 Million Roundup Verdict Against Monsanto, Finds No FIFRA Preemption 🌾
On May 8, 2025, the Pennsylvania Superior Court issued an opinion affirming a $175 million jury verdict awarded in October 2023 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in favor of a plaintiff claiming that Monsanto/Bayer’s glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide caused his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Caranci v. Monsanto, No. 993 EDA 2024 (Pa. […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—March 26, 2025
This Week: Fri. Mar. 28, 2025, Understanding the Basics of the Clean Water Act & Ag: Impaired Waters & TMDL Process
National Agricultural Policy: USDA Announces $10 Billion for Direct ECAP Payments 🌾
On March 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced (PDF) that the agency “is issuing up to $10 billion directly to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year” to “help agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs . . . falling commodity prices . . . and ‘market uncertainty.’” According to the announcement, the […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—March 18, 2025
Regulatory Policy: Ninth Circuit Upholds Preliminary Injunction Ordering Reinstatement of USDA, Federal Employees 🌾
On March 17, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an order denying an administrative stay and upholding the district court’s preliminary injunction, which ordered the reinstatement of probationary employees at several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Am. Federation Gov. Empl., AFL-CIO v. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, No. 25-1677 (N.D. Ca. 3:25-cv-01780). The Ninth Circuit stated, “Given that the district court found that the employees were wrongfully terminated and ordered an immediate return to […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—March 4, 2025
This Week—Wed. Mar. 5: Compliance with New Federal and State Business Entity Informational Filing Requirements
Agribusiness: FinCEN Announces Pause on BOI Enforcement, Upcoming Interim Rule 🌾
On February 27, 2025, the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced that the agency “will not issue any fines or penalties or take any other enforcement actions against any companies based on any failure to file or update beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports pursuant to the Corporate Transparency Act by the current deadlines,” which have been extended until March 21, 2025. FinCEN further states, “No fines or penalties will be issued, and no […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—February 25, 2025
This Week—Fri. Feb. 28: Understanding the Basics of Pesticide Drift
Agribusiness: Federal Court Lifts Stay on BOI Reporting Requirements, FinCEN Publishes New Deadline 🌾
On February 17, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued an order lifting its previous stay of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirements. Smith v. United States Dep’t Treasury, No. 6:24-cv-00336. On February 19, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) published its response and updated BOI timeline, which states, “For the vast majority of reporting companies, the new deadline to […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—January 14, 2025
NEW:
- Duer, Brook, and Paul Goeringer. “2024 Brought Unprecedented Zoonotic Disease Control Challenge as Well as Far-Reaching Questions of Legal Authority.” Southern Ag Today. Jan. 10, 2025.
- Farmland Energy Legal Podcast: “An Introduction to Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land.” Jan. 7, 2025.
Avian Influenza: USDA Announces 28 States Enrolled in National Milk Testing Strategy, HHS Announces $306 Million for Avian Flu 🌾
On January 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that 15 additional states have enrolled in the National Milk Testing Strategy: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Georgia, […]