The CASL Ledger – September 2020

PRESENTATIONS & PROGRAMS

On September 9, 2020, Brook Duer gave a presentation as part of Penn State Extension’s solar leasing webinar series. The presentation, Solar Leasing by Landowners for Utility Scale Projects in Pennsylvania, explained solar lease “option” contracts and important contract modifications lessors should know. 

On September 16, 2020, Ross Pifer gave a presentation on behalf of the National Agricultural Law Center. The presentation was entitled, Right to Repair Statutes: Overview, Issues Presented, and Current Status of State Legislation, and is part of an ongoing webinar series with the NALC. 

On September 23, 2020, Brook Duer participated as a presenter for a Penn State Extension webinar on legal liability related to herbicide drift. The webinar was entitled, Integrated Vegetative Management – Proactive Approaches to Prevent & Respond to Non-Target Crop Injury from Herbicides by Applicators. This presentation was sponsored through a grant from the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Program and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.  

On September 25, 2020, Brook Duer participated as a presenter on the topic of solar leasing for attorneys as part of a continuing legal education on-line course conducted by Penn State Dickinson Law titled, Local Law for Solar Project Development in Pennsylvania.

On September 29, 2020, Jackie Schweichler facilitated a mediation through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Mediation Program. The PA Agricultural Mediation Program provides agricultural producers and their lenders the opportunity to find a resolution with the help of a trained impartial mediator. For more information about the program, check out our website or email us: AgMediation@pennstatelaw.psu.edu

PUBLICATIONS

This month we published the September events calendar on Twitter and Facebook.  To see our upcoming events, see the events page on our website. 

The Agricultural Law Weekly Review provides updates on the most recent legal developments in agriculture and can be found every week on the Penn State Agricultural Law Blog.  The latest installments were written by Center staff attorney Brook Duer and research assistant Audry Thompson:
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—week ending August 28, 2020
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—week ending September 4, 2020
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—week ending September 11, 2020
Agricultural Law Weekly Review – week ending September 18, 2020
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—week ending September 25, 2020

The Shale Law Weekly Review  provides comprehensive updates on the most recent legal developments in shale and can be found every week on the Penn State Shale Law Blog.  The latest installments were written by research assistant Sarah Straub and Center staff attorney Jackie Schweichler.  This week’s shale law developments include:
Shale Law Weekly Review – September 1, 2020
Shale Law Weekly Review – September 11, 2020
Shale Law Weekly Review – September 18, 2020 
Shale Law Weekly Review – September 30, 2020

WATCH OR LISTEN

The Center posts weekly episodes in our Agricultural Law Podcast. You can find the latest episodes online at aglawpodcast.libsyn.com, as well as on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.  This month, we posted the following episodes:
149. New Rule Changes Ag Payment Limitations, Eligibility and $1B Added to Farmers to Families Food Box Program
150. USDA Reopens Hemp Comment Period and “Product of USA” Labeling Lawsuit Dismissed
Special Episode #5. Solar Leasing Part 1: What Landowners Need to Know
151. EPA Sued Over Pa, NY Chesapeake Bay Noncompliance and USDA Issues Egg Products Final Rule
152. EPA Denies RFS Small Refinery Exemptions and U.S. Tariffs Violate WTO Trade Rules
153. DEA Hemp Interim Rule and Federal Beef Program Challenged, FDA Proposes Food Traceability Rule
Special Episode #6. Solar Leasing Part 2: Anatomy of a Solar Development Lease

SOCIAL MEDIA 

Our daily HotLinks cover the newest developments in agricultural and shale law as they occur.  Find these updates and other helpful links by following us on Twitter! (@AgShaleLaw)  This month, the following HotLinks received the most Twitter impressions from our stakeholders:

• “Pick-your-own farms let guests indulge a pastoral fantasy. Covid-19 has been a harsh dose of reality” 
•  “Assessing the damage from dicamba” 
• “USDA lawyer: Hemp growers have ‘a little bit of leeway’ on THC testing, but not much” 
•  “Texas regulators under pressure to ban routine flaring” 
• “An Economic Analysis of a Ban on Fracking and Federal Leasing for Natural Gas and Oil Development”

STAKEHOLDER INQUIRIES 

On a regular basis, CASL staff receive a variety of inquiries from our stakeholders. This month Jackie received inquiries on FSA’s CRP program and an inquiry about hemp leasing contracts.  Brook Duer responded to a question on labeling regulations for A2 milk.  Please contact us if you have any questions about agricultural or shale law topics.