Category Archives: Agriculture Law

Associated Press writer Andrew Demillo reported on Friday that, “Arkansas’ ban on the use of a weed killer blamed by farmers in several states for crop damage will remain in place after a state judge dismissed a legal challenge by a maker of the herbicide. “Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza dismissed the lawsuit by… Continue Reading

Gregory Meyer reported on Friday at The Financial Times Online that, “Archer Daniels Midland and Syngenta, two giants of industrial agriculture, have settled lawsuits over the release of a new biotech corn strain that upended US grain exports to China. “ADM, an international grain dealer, had accused Swiss-based seed company Syngenta of negligence when it… Continue Reading

DTN writer Emily Unglesbee reported earlier this week that, “New details are emerging from a lawsuit calling for EPA to vacate the registration of Monsanto’s dicamba herbicide. “Originally filed in January 2017, the lawsuit’s newly released briefs claim EPA ignored key requirements of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and violated the Endangered… Continue Reading

A news release on Wednesday from Rep. Marcia Fudge (D., Ohio) indicated that, “Today, [Rep. Fudge] and Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-02) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI). The Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2018 authorizes $125 million to provide loans, grants and financing opportunities for food retailers, farmers markets, cooperatives and… Continue Reading

Jacob Bunge and Richard Rubin reported today at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “Some agricultural companies are revamping operations to avoid being stung by the new U.S. tax law. “Ethanol makers and family-owned grain companies are setting up new agricultural cooperatives to benefit from a provision in the law that gives farmers larger tax savings… Continue Reading

A  news release earlier this week from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) indicated that, “Last year’s hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, devastated parts of the South, Midwest, Northern Plains, and California, and were a stark reminder that agriculture is an inherently risky business. Federal crop insurance indemnities for these disasters totaled more… Continue Reading

A news release yesterday from Sen. Deb Fischer (R., Neb.) indicated that, “Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act. The bill, which has a number… Continue Reading

Stephen Gruber-Miller reported yesterday at The Des Moines Register Online that, “Should the Iowa Supreme Court declare unconstitutional a law that shields large animal feeding operations from lawsuits? “That’s the question the justices heard Monday night during oral arguments in Honomichl v. Valley View Swine. Its answer is likely to have an impact on the number… Continue Reading

Financial Times writer Emiko Terazono reported yesterday that, “A sharp slowdown in US craft beer sales growth has sent the speciality hop market from boom to bust with its effects starting to be felt by growers beyond its shores. “The fall comes as growers both in the US, the world’s leading hop producer and exporter, and… Continue Reading