I recently finished reading Pat Dillon‘s book titled “Field Manual: Iowa Farmer’s Guide to Legal Issues.” It’s a great book and covers all the basics ranging from contract law, crop insurance, estate planning, farm leases to bankruptcy. Dillion is a good writer breaking down complicated legal concepts. The Kindle version is only $5.00 from Amazon. I give the book …
5 State Approaches for Using Animal Societies to Enforce Animal Cruelty Statutes
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
What Is The Animal Cruelty Law In Your State?
This weekend I discovered that the National Agriculture Law Center has a helpful state-by-state analysis of animal cruelty laws in the United States. Even though there are several federal statutes that regulate this issue, animal cruelty statutes vary significantly from state-to-state. It is interesting to pull up the statutes in various states and run a comparison. Though the National Agriculture …
More Than a Handshake – Embryo Transfer Contracts For The Livestock Industry
Happy Fourth of July from NYC! I posted two articles on JD Supra regarding why the beef industry (and the livestock industry) needs to have written embryo transfer contracts. As an aside, I have been contacted several times over the last year about whether I charge for articles or a regular monthly column. I write when I have time. If …