I’m currently conducting a blog series where each week I give an overview of the responsibilities of a government agency regulating our food and agriculture system. I think it’s a helpful reminder for everyone on just how complex our regulatory system really is. It’s a game of Who’s Who for government players in the U.S. food and agriculture economy. The …
Texas A & M University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Early Career Award
Exciting news! I’m flying to College Station, Texas this morning. Tomorrow I will be receiving an Early Career Award from Texas A & M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (along with Ms. Rachel Cutrer from Ranch House Designs, Inc.). I am incredibly humbled by this award and very thankful to all my friends and family who have supported …
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 …
ABA Agriculture Law Subcommittees
As I noted in this previous post, I am the new Chair of the American Bar Association (“ABA”), General Practice, Solo and Small Firm’s Division, Agriculture Law Committee. You can join the Committee and the Discussion List here. I have restructured the subcommittees as follows: 1. Ag ADR: mediation, arbitration 2. Ag Estate/Succession Planning, Family Law, and Taxation: estate planning,succession …
Overview of State Laws Relating to the Amount of Space Given to Farm Animals
I am speaking today in Atlantic City at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s (“NJSBA”) Annual Meeting on a couple farm animal law issues. One of the topics that I will be addressing today includes an overview of state legislation/regulation over the amount of space given to farm animals. Seven states have had laws sponsored by the Humane Society of …
Completed the Beef Quality Assurance Producer Certification Manual
As I noted in this blog a few months ago, I am currently completing the Beef Quality Assurance (“BQA”) training through the New York Beef Industry Council, Inc. Last weekend, I have reviewed the Producer Certification Manual for the Mid-Atlantic region (which includes Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Maine, New Jersey and Vermont). After reviewing the materials, I …
When is the Last Time You Visited the National Agricultural Law Center’s Website?
Last week I recieved this tweet from @NateJaeger, the Director of the Beef, Equine, and Hay & Forage Commodities at the Alabama Farmers Federation: Hey @CariRincker why haven’t you told us about this b4 http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org. It’s awesome. I responded to @NateJaeger indicating that the National Agricultural Law Center was a fantastic resource for people and agribusinesses in nearly every segment of …
New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program (NYSCHAP): Cattle Welfare Program
I first heard about the New York State Health Assurance Program (“NYSCHAP”) last January at the New York Beef Producers’ Assocation (“NYBPA”) annual meeting in Syracuse. After an inquiry about the program from a New York cattle producer, I had Kathy Finnerty, the program’s coordinator, send me informational materials about NYSCHAP. As I said in this article, I recommend that cattle producers …
Part I: Debrief From NYFB Farm Animal Welfare Conference
If you have been following my blog then you know that last Thursday I was a panelist for the New York Farm Bureau (“NYFB”) farm animal welfare conference in Albany titled “What Every Livestock Owner Needs to Know . . . A Positive Approach.” There was a great crew of speakers for the event including Patrick Hooker, the New York …
Ohio Puts The Livestock Care Standards Board To Vote
In the midst of Ohio 4-H County Fair season, the state’s legislature took the initiative this summer to try to create a 13-member Livestock Care Standards Board as an amendment to Section 1 of the Article XIV of the Ohio Constitution. The Joint Resolution of the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate passed on July 13, 2009; therefore, the constitutional …