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—June 26, 2024
This Friday! June 28, 2024: Understanding the Basics of the Clean Water Act & Agriculture
National Agriculture Policy: Federal Court Enjoins USDA’s ‘Socially Disadvantaged Farmers’ Consideration
On June 7, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas published a memorandum opinion and order enjoining the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from providing financial relief to farmers “based on its ‘socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher‘ designation” under the 2022 Emergency Relief Program (2022 ERP). Strickland v. USDA, No. 2:24-cv-00060. USDA […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—June 17, 2024
Antitrust: USDA Publishes Poultry Grower, Dealer Proposed Rule 🌾
On June 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule (89 FR 49002) pursuant to the Packers and Stockyards Act titled “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems.” Also announced by the USDA, the proposed rule would establish several requirements for live poultry dealers (LPDs) and agreements between LPDs and broiler growers. Particularly, the rule would “[p]rohibit LPDs from discounting or reducing a grower’s rate of compensation as disclosed in the broiler growing arrangement based on the […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—June 10, 2024
Avian Influenza: USDA Announces Additional Funding, New Voluntary Bulk Milk Testing Pilot Program 🌾
On May 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the agency is providing an additional $824 million in funding and resources to address and prevent the spread of H5N1 (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A) in livestock and poultry. Additionally, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has launched a new Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program as an alternative to the testing and reporting requirements mandated by APHIS’s April 24, 2024 Federal Order. USDA states that participation in the pilot […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—June 4, 2024
NEW Publication: HPAI in Dairy Cattle: Is Pasteurization Dairy’s Only Reliable Protection?, Southern Ag Today—Brook Duer, Center Staff Attorney
Related Webinar: July 17, 2024, “HPAI in Poultry and Cattle: How Can We Miss You if You Won’t Go Away?,” Staff Attorney Brook Duer Presents with the National Agricultural Law Center.
Water Quality: Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Clean Water Act ‘Generic Prohibitions’ 🌾
On May 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a petition for writ of certiorari to hear an appeal of a July 2023 decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 30, 2024
National Agricultural Policy: House Agriculture Committee Advances Farm Bill 🌾
On May 23, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture passed (33-21) the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024” (H.R.8467), the House version of the 2024 Farm Bill. Previously, on May 17, 2024, the House Committee published a discussion draft and summary of the bill, also announced by the Committee. On May 1, 2024, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry announced a summary of its Farm Bill draft, titled the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 24, 2024
Food Labeling: Iowa Passes Law Prohibiting Meat Terms on ‘Manufactured-Protein’ Products, Requires Schools to ‘Prevent Purchase’ 🌾
On May 15, 2024, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law SF 2391, titled “an Act prohibiting the misbranding of certain food products, and providing penalties.” The law defines “cultivated-protein food product,” “insect-protein food product,” “plant-protein food product” and “fabricated egg product” as “manufactured-protein food products” and provides that such products are misbranded if labeled with an “identifying meat term” or “identifying egg term” unless the label also contains, “in close proximity to [the] identifying . . . term,” a “conspicuous and […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 17, 2024
Upcoming Webinar!
New Podcast Episodes!
- Agricultural Law: USDA Takes First Regulatory Steps on Carbon Credit Production (May 14, 2024)
- Farmland Energy: Agrivoltaics & Large-Scale Solar Energy in Pennsylvania Update (May 15, 2024)
Food Safety: FDA Publishes Final Rule for Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water
On May 6, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published in the Federal Register a final rule (89 FR 37448), which amends the requirements and procedures for assessing “pre-harvest agricultural water” used on covered produce, other than sprouts. Under the final […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—May 10, 2024
Agricultural Labor: Department of Labor Publishes H-2A Final Rule 🌾
On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) published in the Federal Register a final rule (89 FR 33898) titled “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States.” Also announced by DOL, the final rule includes the following provisions:
- Requires that employers seeking H-2A workers assure that they “ha[ve] not and will not . . . in […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—April 29, 2024
New Podcast Episodes:
- Farmland Energy: Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture (Apr. 29, 2024)
- Agricultural Law: USDA Takes New Approach in HPAI Outbreak in Dairy Cattle (Apr. 26, 2024)
Avian Influenza: USDA Issues Order Requiring Testing, Reporting for Interstate Dairy Cattle Movement 🌾
On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued an order requiring mandatory testing and reporting for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus in dairy cows prior to the interstate movement of dairy cattle. Also announced by USDA, the order lists the following requirements, effective […]
Agricultural Law Weekly Review—April 22, 2024
Webinars This Week!
- Apr. 23, 2024, U.S. State Milk Pricing & Supports, Part 1
- Apr. 26, 2024, Understanding the Basics of Producer Protections for Buyer Default
Nutrition Programs: USDA Publishes WIC Final Rule—Includes White Potatoes, Reduces Milk 🌾
On April 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published in the Federal Register a final rule (89 FR 28488) finalizing revisions to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Also announced by USDA, the final rule enacts numerous changes, including
- Allowing the purchase of white potatoes,
