National Agricultural Policy
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—October 28, 2025
Tues. Oct. 28: AgWorks: Legal Authority to Work in the U.S. and Other Pre-Employment Screening Processes
Fri. Oct. 31: Understanding Immigration Compliance: I-9s, Audits and ICE Raids (FREE Attorney CLE!)
National Agricultural Policy: USDA Announces Plan to ‘Strengthen American Beef Industry’ 🌾
On October 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a three-pronged plan to “strengthen the American beef industry.” Among several actions, USDA states that, “[e]ffective January 1, 2026, [Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)] inspection personnel will begin enforcing compliance on FSIS-regulated products that bear voluntary ‘Product of USA,’ ‘Made in the USA,’ and other U.S.-origin […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—October 14, 2025
Today 10/14 at Noon 3rd Quarter 2025 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar: H.R.1 (OBBA) Dairy Provisions
Dairy Policy: PA Milk Board to Over-Order Premium, Cost Replacement Hearings on December 3, 2025🌾
On October 8, 2025, the Pennsylvania Milk Board (PMB) published Bulletin No. 1661, announcing a public hearing on December 3, 2025 for all six Milk Marketing Areas “to receive testimony and exhibits concerning the level and duration of the Class I over-order premium.” Additionally, on October 3, 2025, PMB published on its website three bulletins announcing public hearings on December 3, 2025, for Milk Marketing Area No. 1 (
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—September 30, 2025
Today: Sept. 30 @ noon, AgWorks: Foundations of the Employer–Employee Relationship (non-attorney focus)
This month: Oct. 14, 3rd Quarter 2025 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar: H.R.1 (OBBA) Dairy Provisions
Agricultural Labor: Certain H-2A Applicants Eligible for Interview Waiver October 1, 2025 🌾
On September 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State issued an update (PDF) stating that selected categories of nonimmigrant visa applicants “may be eligible” for a waiver of the visa’s interview requirement, including certain H-2A visa applicants. According to the update, the interview waiver applies to “applicants renewing an H-2A visa within 12 months of the prior visa’s […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—July 29, 2025
2025 Agricultural Law Symposium, Thurs. Sept. 18, in-person at University Park.
6 CLE credits for PA Attorneys, $150 Early Bird Registration available until Aug. 29!
Industrial Hemp: Eighth Circuit Holds Arkansas Hemp Law Not Preempted by 2018 Farm Bill, Vacates Preliminary Injunction 🌾
On June 24, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued an opinion vacating the district court’s preliminary injunction and holding that the 2018 Farm Bill does not preempt Arkansas Act 629, which “criminaliz[ed] many . . . hemp products,” but specifically “does not prohibit the continuous transportation through Arkansas of [hemp].” Bio Gen […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—July 15, 2025
Today—Tues. July 15 @ Noon: Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar: 2025 Federal Milk Marketing Order Reforms
New: Why Aren’t PFAS Compounds in Land Applied Biosolids Regulated By EPA?, Brook Duer
International Trade: Canada Passes Law Prohibiting Import Quota Increases, Tariff Reductions on Dairy, Poultry, Eggs 🌾
On June 26, 2025, King Charles III assented to Canadian Bill C-202 (PDF), which prohibits Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from increasing import quotas or reducing tariffs on dairy products, poultry and eggs. According to a speech from the bill’s sponsor, in passing the law, Canada “seeks to protect . . . [its] […]
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 10, 2025
Next 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.
Dairy Policy: Pennsylvania Milk Board Publishes Order Continuing $1 Over-Order Premium 🌾
On June 4, 2025, the Pennsylvania Milk Board (PMB) published Official General Order No. A-1021 on its Official General Orders webpage. The order, effective July 1–December 31, 2025, will replace Official General Order No. A-1020, issued in December 2024, and will continue the $1.00 per hundredweight over-order premium on all Class I milk produced, processed, and sold […]
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 27, 2025
Registration Open! 2025 Pennsylvania Agricultural Law Symposium: Sept. 18, 2025
This Friday! May 30: Understanding the Basics of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act
Avian Influenza: Brazil Confirms HPAI in Commercial Flock, APHIS Issues Import Restrictions 🌾
On May 16, 2025, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock announced (PDF) that the ministry had confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry breeding facility located in the country’s southernmost state bordering Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul. On the same day, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—April 22, 2025
This week—Fri. Apr. 25: Understanding the Basics of PA Ag Exemptions for Inheritance Tax and Other Real Estate Transfers
National Agricultural Policy: USDA Cancels ‘Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities,’ Announces ‘Advancing Markets for Producers’ 🌾
On April 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the agency is cancelling its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program, initiated in 2022 under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act. USDA states that “the majority of” PCSC “projects had . . . high administration fees which in many instances provided less than half of the federal funding directly to farmers” and that the […]
