This is the presentation that I gave last month on sustainability in agriculture at the Association of the Bar for the City of New York. In case you missed it, you can also read my previous posts on the definitions of sustainable agriculture and “Big Ag.” [slideshare id=12960919&doc=sustainabilitydevelopmentsinbigagriculture-120516144621-phpapp01] Thank you to Red Letter Day Graphic Design for helping me with imbedding …
So What Exactly is “Sustainable Agriculture?”
Sustainability has been a big buzz word in agriculture over the last few years – but what does it mean? In preparation for this presentation that I gave earlier this month, I found the “legal definition” of “sustainable agriculture” here. Pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 3103, “sustainable agriculture” means an “integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific …
Debrief From Skype Convo About Being an Agriculture Attorney
Wow. Cannot believe how fast May is passing. Time flies when you are having fun. I had a pleasant conversation with some lovely ladies earlier this month who wish to have a career in agriculture law. Here were a couple of the questions. 1. How did you get started? I started my law practice by moving to New York City …
An Overview of State Laws Prohibiting Undercover Video Surveillance
The agriculture community has faced problems with animal welfare organizations using undercover videos that are sensationalizing alleged acts of animal cruelty on livestock operations. Larger livestock farmers using conventional production practices and concentrated animal feeding operations are at greater risk. Due to the media attention from these undercover videos, several states have developed legislation aimed to proscribe undercover video surveillance …
Spoke to Undergraduate Agriculture Career Class via Skype
Yesterday I had an opportunity to talk about being an agriculture lawyer to an undergraduate agriculture careers class in Wisconsin via Skype. I remember being that age and not really knowing what I wanted to do. To tell you the truth, I grew up looking up to Colleen Callahan and wanted to *be* her…with a career in agriculture journalism/communications. For …
Legal Webinar Regarding Farm Animal Space
I want to give a brief shout-out on a webinar presented by Elizabeth Rumley from the National Agricultural Law Center on the “Legal Issues in Animal Agriculture: Regulating Living Space.” I had an opportunity to hear Elizabeth Rumley present during this online agriculture law class last year and she’s one smart cookie (she’ll be presenting again this year). You can …
Debrief from Skype Conversation About Being an Ag Lawyer
I had the opportunity to speak to a great crew via Skype last Friday about being an agriculture lawyer. It’s casual “open mic” style so we talked about whatever the participants wanted to talk about. I have been getting a lot of these types of inquiries lately from folks in many different stages of life/career. I want to note a …
Will be Presenting at the 2012 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit
I will be speaking at the 2012 Animal Agriculture Alliance (“AAA”) Stakeholders Summit next month in Washington, D.C. on livestock animal welfare law. More specifically, I will be presenting on May 3rd during the “Legal Workshop” part of the program. The title of the presentation is “When Activists Come Calling – Know Your Rights.” I will give an overview of …
Upcoming CLE on “Counseling the Local Food Movement”
As I noted in this blog, I’m very excited to announce that the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division’s Agriculture Law Committee will be hosting a CLE webinar on Thursday, May 10, 2012 titled “Counseling the Local Food Movement: What a Practitioner Should Know.” This is a very substantive CLE that will be two hours. …
Watch the Livestream of the American Agri-Women Mid-Year Meeting
Yesterday, I enjoyed watching the livestream of the American Agri-Women(“AAW”) Mid-Year Meeting in Nebraska City, Nebraska (between Omaha and Lincoln). Today is the last day of the mid-year meeting. If you are a member of the agriculture community, I recommend taking some time todayto watch the livestream! I think it is great that food and agriculture organizations, like AAW, are making video livestreams …
“Shared Challenges, United Goals”
I will be presenting tomorrow evening during the New York Agri-Women Annual Meeting on the “Shared Challenges” and “United Goals” of women involved in the New York agriculture industry. I am oftentimes reminded on how divided the agriculture industry can be. It’s not Big Ag vs. Small Ag. Local Ag vs. Conventional Ag. Organic Food vs. Food Inc. We are …
Follow My Tweets from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention
I made it safe and sound to Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“NCBA”) Annual Convention and Trade Show. I will be at Cattlemen’s College today and this tweet-up this evening with these awesome ag tweeps. Tomorrow afternoon and evening I will be at the Young Producer’s Council (“YPC”) (@YPCBeef) meeting and reception. I’m also on …