Agricultural Law Weekly Review
The Agricultural Law Weekly Review provides an update of recent agricultural law developments from local, state, national, and international levels. Subscribe for updates.
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—January 6, 2026
Register Now! Educational programming for January:
Jan. 21, AgWorks: Wage and Hour Laws—Requirements and Exemptions
Jan. 23, Understanding the Basics of Pennsylvania’s Seasonal Farm Labor Law (Atty CLE)
Jan. 27, Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar: Standards of Identity—Regulations & Current Issues (Atty CLE)
Agribusiness: Eleventh Circuit Finds Corporate Transparency Act is Constitutional 🌾
On December 16, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued an opinion finding constitutional the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which requires certain corporate entities to report “beneficial ownership” to the Treasury Department, and reversing the district court’s March 2024 decision. Nat’l Small Bus. […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—December 23, 2025
Industrial Hemp: President Issues Executive Order to Reschedule Marijuana to Schedule III Substance 🌾
On December 18, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research,” which directs the Attorney General to “take all necessary steps to complete the rulemaking process”—initiated in May 2024 by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s publication of a proposed rule (89 FR 44597)—to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). According to the executive order and accompanying fact sheet, “marijuana is currently controlled as a Schedule I substance, which […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—December 18, 2025
Next Week: Tues. Dec. 23 at Noon—AgWorks: Staying Compliant with Anti-Discrimination Laws
National Agricultural Policy: USDA Announces $12 Billion in ‘Bridge Payments’🌾
On December 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the agency will distribute $12 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding for “one time bridge payments” to U.S. farmers “in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs.” According to the announcement, $11 billion is allocated for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which will provide payments to row crop farmers who produce barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—December 2, 2025
This month:
- Dec. 12, Understanding the Clean Water Act & Ag: Biosolids & Food Processing Waste Land Application (Free Attorney CLE!)
- Dec. 16, AgWorks: Staying Compliant with Anti-Discrimination Laws
National Agricultural Policy: Natural Resources Conservation Service Announces ‘Office of the Assistant Chiefs’ to Replace ‘Office of Regional Conservationists’ 🌾
On November 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced its creation of the Office of the Assistant Chiefs (OAC), which will replace the Office of the Regional Conservationists (ORC). NRCS states that “each Assistant Chief will oversee regional operations and work […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—November 25, 2025
Webinar Dec. 12, 2025, Understanding the Clean Water Act & Ag: Biosolids & Food Processing Waste Land Application
WOTUS: EPA, Army Corps Publish New ‘Waters of the United States’ Definition 🌾
On November 20, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule (90 FR 52498) to update the definition of “waters of the United States,” redefining the “scope of waters federally covered under . . . the Clean Water Act [CWA], in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA,” […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—November 18, 2025
This Week:
- Nov. 18, AgWorks: I-9 and ICE Raids—Protecting Your Business
- Nov. 21, Understanding the Basics of Cell Cultured Foods & Labeling Laws (free Attorney CLE!)
Local Agricultural Policy: Pennsylvania Legislature Passes 2025–26 State Budget, Governor Signs into Law 🌾
On November 12, 2025, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro approved the 2025–26 State Budget, consisting of two primary pieces of legislation: SB 160, “General Fund Appropriations” (PDF, struck provisions removed) and HB 416, “State Government Finances” (implementing legislation) (PDF). Also announced by the governor, the enacted budget appropriates a total of […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—November 14, 2025
Next Week:
- Nov. 18, AgWorks: I-9 and ICE Raids—Protecting Your Business
- Nov. 21, Understanding the Basics of Cell Cultured Foods & Labeling Laws (free Attorney CLE!)
Agricultural Labor: DHS Publishes Rule Ending Automatic Extension for Certain Employment Authorization Categories 🌾
On October 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published in the Federal Register an interim final rule (90 FR 48799), effective upon publication, that “end[s] the practice of automatically extending the validity of employment authorization documents (Forms I-766 or EADs) for aliens who have timely filed an application to renew their EAD […]
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 21, 2025
Next Week:
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!)
Water Quality: Maryland Announces Conowingo Dam Settlement Agreement 🌾
On October 2, 2025, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, Waterkeepers Chesapeake, and Constellation Energy announced a settlement agreement with Constellation Energy to “fund and implement operational improvements and environmental projects at the Conowingo Dam.” The settlement agreement is part of a revised Water Quality Certification, also issued by MDE. […]
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 (
