Category Archives: Agriculture Law

Writing earlier this month at The Wall Street Journal Online, Stephanie Yang reported that, “Beyond Meat Inc. and Impossible Foods Inc. are considering China as their next big market for plant-based meat products, but local startups aim to leverage their own knowledge of Chinese tastes to gain an edge over the U.S. companies. “China is… Continue Reading

A news release today from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) stated that, “Due to the prolonged and extensive impacts of weather events this year, [USDA] today extended the deadline to December 20 for producers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for the 2020 calendar year. The deadline had been December 13.  USDA… Continue Reading

Reuters News reported last week that, “Germany’s Bayer has agreed with plaintiffs to postpone its next two U.S. lawsuits over the alleged cancer-causing effects of its glyphosate-based weed killers to allow more time for talks on a settlement. “The company, which is facing 42,700 U.S. plaintiffs, is widely expected to eventually buy itself out of… Continue Reading

Associated Press writer John Antczak reported last week that, “The pork industry is challenging the constitutionality of a voter-approved California measure that will prohibit the sale of meat products from hogs born to sows confined in spaces that don’t meet new minimum size requirements. “A lawsuit filed late Thursday in San Diego federal court by… Continue Reading

A news release today from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) stated that, “[USDA] reminds insured producers nationwide who currently participate in Federal Crop Insurance and are facing a delay in harvesting their crop to contact their crop insurance agent and file a Notice of Loss (NOL) by December 10 or the applicable end of… Continue Reading

A news release today from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) stated that, “Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on December 9, 2019. The deadline for agricultural producers to sign up for general CRP is February 28, 2020, while signup for continuous… Continue Reading

Des Moines Register writer Donnelle Eller reported yesterday that, “A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Monday preventing Iowa officials from enforcing a new law that would make it a crime for whistleblowers or undercover animal welfare activists to take pictures or videos at meatpacking plants and livestock facilities. “The injunction will remain in place while a lawsuit challenging… Continue Reading

Last week, Wall Street Journal writers Jacob Bunge and Heather Haddon reported that, “On a rainy September morning, a pair of cattle ranchers browsed the refrigerated meat cases at a Walmart Inc. store in Mandan, N.D., snapping cellphone photos of an unwelcome invader among the shrink-wrapped ground beef: Beyond Meat Inc. patties, made from pea… Continue Reading

A news release Wednesday from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) stated that, “[USDA] today announced changes to crop insurance for coarse grains in 2020. [RMA] made changes to the policy, which take effect in 2020. The changes allow producers more flexibility to choose enterprise units (EU) or optional units (OU) by Following Another Crop (FAC)… Continue Reading

A news release yesterday from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) stated that, “Securing zero-tariff access to China for U.S. pork would be an economic boon for American agriculture and the country, according to the [NPPC]. Based on an analysis by Iowa State University (ISU) Economist Dermot Hayes, NPPC says unrestricted access to the Chinese… Continue Reading