Wall Street Journal writer Jacob Bunge reported on Saturday that, “A jury ruled against Bayer AG and BASF SE in a crop-damage case, awarding $265 million to a Missouri peach farmer who claimed the companies encouraged farmers to irresponsibly spray a hard-to-control weedkiller. “Peach farmer Bill Bader sued the pesticide-and-seed makers after he said thousands… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Keith Good
Treasury Rule Could Affect “Grain Glitch” Fix
DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton reported today that, “Two years after discovering the ‘grain glitch’ in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, leaders at farmer cooperatives are still trying to get Treasury officials to reinstate provisions of Section 199A to the way the tax deduction worked before the 2017 tax law passed…. Continue Reading
Posted in Agriculture Law
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Alphabet’s X Forms Outside Partnership with Brooklyn Incubator
Financial Times writer Patrick McGee reported recently that, “X, the experimental lab of Google’s parent company Alphabet, is looking beyond Silicon Valley for its next big idea, forming a collaboration with New Lab, a start-up incubator in Brooklyn. “The heavily-lossmaking X, which describes itself as a ‘moonshots factory,’ is most famous for creating Waymo, the… Continue Reading
Posted in Start-up Company Law
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Chinese Venture Capitalists are Retreating from Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Scene
Rebecca Fannin reported earlier this month at CNBC Online that, “San Jose-based virtual reality start-up uSens was ramping up quickly until late last year when issues over the U.S.-China tech cold war intervened, and the fast-charging company hit a dead end. “With patented computer vision technology for smart TVs, mobile devices and cars, an experienced… Continue Reading
Posted in Start-up Company Law
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Bill to Protect Against African Swine Fever Passes House, Heads to President’s Desk
A news release yesterday from Rep. Cindy Axne (D., Iowa) stated that, “Today, the House unanimously passed legislation led by [Rep. Axne] to protect our nation’s pork supply and the Iowa pork industry from the threat of deadly African Swine Fever (ASF) through expanded agricultural inspections. “The Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act authorizes U.S…. Continue Reading
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Climate Change Contributed to Drastic Declines in the Bumblebee Population
Doyle Rice reported in today’s USAToday that, “Climate change contributed to drastic declines in the population and diversity of bumblebees across North America and Europe, according to a long-term study of more than 60 bee species published [on Feb. 6th] in the journal Science. “Researchers discovered bumblebees are disappearing at rates ‘consistent with a mass extinction.’… Continue Reading
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USDA Announces Details of Risk Management Programs for Hemp Producers
A news release today from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) stated that, “The [USDA] today announced the availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. A pilot hemp insurance program through Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) provides coverage against loss of yield because of insurable causes of loss for hemp grown… Continue Reading
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Iowa Start-Up is Revolutionizing the Seed Production Process
Megan Vollstedt reported late last month at Successful Farming (SF) Online that, “Commercial seed production is a 100-year-old system that hasn’t changed much. Now, one start-up is revolutionizing the process with technology that maximizes the potential in golden grains of pollen. “Iowa-based PowerPollen was founded in 2015 by agriculture industry professionals who formerly worked in… Continue Reading
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EPA Finalizes Interim Registration Decision on Glyphosate
Last week, DTN writer Emily Unglesbee reported that, “EPA has finalized its interim registration decision on glyphosate, once again stating the herbicide poses no risk to human health and can be used safely with certain drift mitigation requirements. “The agency first proposed this interim decision in April of 2019 and accepted public comments until the… Continue Reading
Posted in Agriculture Law
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USDA Issues Third Tranche of 2019 MFP Payments
A news release yesterday from USDA stated that, “At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the third and final tranche of 2019 Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. The payments will begin… Continue Reading
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