As I have noted in this blog on several occasions, duly incorporated animal societies in the State of New York have the authority to search and seize livestock. This article does a nice job illustrating the five state law approaches with using animal societies to enforce livestock animal cruelty laws. Ordinary Rights The majority of states have this approach. In …
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 …
Missed the Local Food CLE? Don’t Worry, You Can Get the Recording
Last Thursday I moderated a fantastic local food law CLE (i.e., “Continuing Legal Education”). The faculty worked hard putting together substantive materials for the attendees including relevant ancillary materials (such as this, this, and this). If you missed the live webinar, you can purchase the CLE from the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) webstore here. Though the CLE was directed to …
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 …
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. …
Overheard at a Bar on the Upper West Side
Last night, I was having dinner at a bar on the Upper West Side. I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation from the table next to me. The gentlemen were (civilly) discussing a business partnership that had gone bad. They had a “handshake” deal that started out with great dreams together (“You used to say ‘our’ and ‘we.’”) and somehow …
Winner of the Best of Barns Competition for Best Agriculture Attorney
Wow. 2011 was a great year (indeed). I hope that my readers had a wonderful New Year’s celebration with their family and friends. I wanted to share some (more) exciting news: I won Best Agriculture Attorney in the 2011 Best of Barns Competition. Thank you to those of you who nominated and/or voted for me — I’m very humbled (and …
Upcoming ABA Crop & Livestock Insurance CLE
As part of my new leadership role with the American Bar Association (“ABA”) General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division’s Agriculture Law Committee, I have been busy helping plan a Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) webinar on crop and livestock insurance. This program will lay down the fundamental building blocks for practicing either crop and or livestock insurance law. Please mark your …
Noteworthy Blog Posts for Young Cattle Producers
I had a guest post today on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Producer’s (“NCBA”) Young Producers’ Council’s (“YPC”) blog, Cattle Call, noting some of my blog posts that may be applicable to young cattle producers. If you have not done so already, I recommend subscribing to the Cattle Call RSS Feed. I was the founding editor of this blog and it …
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 …
Evaluating Real Estate Appraisals
Roger F. Tibble, Esq. recently published an excellent article in the ABA GP Solo & Small Firm Division’s Law Trends regarding the value of real estate appraisals. I found this article of particular interest to me because I practice matrimonial law where the Husband and Wife’s appraisals may significantly vary from one another. I don’t envy the job of an …