Category Archives: Agriculture Law

A recent Star Tribune article reported that, “Driverless tractors have long been on the cusp, but they are still not widely used, bogged down by safety concerns, legal obstacles, the difficulties of offering technical support to a large number of farmers using a single product, and lingering doubts about the business case.” The article stated… Continue Reading

An update yesterday by Tricia Braid, which was posted at the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) Online, stated that, “EPA has extended the registration for dicamba but you should know these two key points: 1) it prohibits over-the-top application of dicamba on soybeans 45 days after planting, and 2) applications are limited, as they were… Continue Reading

Wall Street Journal writer Jacob Bunge reported yesterday that, “The Environmental Protection Agency will continue to allow farmers to spray crops with a controversial weedkiller, while tightening restrictions, the agency said. “The EPA extended by two years its approval of XtendiMax, a version of the herbicide dicamba made by Bayer AG, which some farmers and researchers… Continue Reading

Chicago Tribune writer Greg Trotter reported earlier this month that, “In the heart of corn and soybean country, Hans and Katie Bishop of PrairiErth Farm are cultivating an unconventional dream, one pesticide-free, dirt-encrusted sweet potato at a time.” “Their passion remains strong, but they’ve had to adapt to a changing food industry rife with new… Continue Reading

DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger reported last week that, “USDA began issuing checks, worth about $3 billion in total, for last year’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs this month. While any form of cash assistance in these tough economic times is generally considered good news, that total is less than… Continue Reading

Sara Randazzo, Jacob Bunge and Ruth Bender reported yesterday at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “Bayer AG’s $63 billion acquisition of Monsanto Co. this year made the German drug and chemicals company the world’s biggest supplier of crop seeds and pesticides—and brought it thousands of lawsuits alleging Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide causes cancer. “But Bayer has a… Continue Reading

Wall Street Journal writers Sara Randazzo and Jacob Bunge reported today that, “A California judge on Monday reduced by more than $200 million a jury verdict linking Bayer AG’s Roundup weedkiller to cancer but upheld the jury’s findings that the company acted with malice. “San Francisco Superior Court Judge Suzanne Ramos Bolanos said the $250 million in… Continue Reading

DTN writer Todd Neeley reported Friday that, “Three states, along with the American Farm Bureau Federation, asked a federal court in Texas on Thursday to vacate the 2015 waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule in the latest in a long series of court actions. “In separate motions filed with the U.S. District Court… Continue Reading

DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton reported yesterday that, “The members of a Minnesota farmers’ cooperative have voted to dissolve and sell the cooperative’s assets after the former elevator manager allegedly stole millions of dollars before disappearing in September. “The Ashby (Minnesota) Farmers Cooperative discovered it was in trouble in early September when it was… Continue Reading

Wall Street Journal writer Jacob Bunge reported earlier this month that, “Bayer AG could win a new trial to defend its Roundup weed killer. “A California judge on [October 10th] issued a tentative ruling for a new trial on the $250 million in punitive damages awarded to a groundskeeper, who sought to hold the Roundup maker… Continue Reading