I thought it would be helpful to educate my readers on the government agencies that affect the food and agriculture system in the United States. I will be going through the various agencies one by one. So please stay tuned! The U.S. Forest Service (“FS”) is a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) and overseen by the Under …
My Path Becoming an Agriculture Lawyer in New York City
Last month, I spoke to a group of Texas 4-H kids at a Texas A & M University via Skype about my work as an agriculture lawyer in New York City. I was asked to share a bit about my path and how I become an agriculture lawyer in the Big Apple. Here was my response: I grew up on …
YPC Spotlight: Interview with Holly Foster (Part II)
In yesterday’s blog, Holly Foster answered questions about her involvement with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“NCBA”) Young Producers’ Council (“YPC”). In Part I, she described her involvement on the Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee and her goals for the organization. Here are the rest of her answers to the interview. 1. What are the hot topics in your committee …
Legalese: “Mens Rea”
We’ve heard the term in reference to crimes but what does it mean? Put simply – mens rea refers to criminal intent and is Latin for “guilty mind.” It is rooted in the Latin phrase actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea which means “the act does not make a person guilty unless the mind be also guilty.” There …
The Not-So-Simple Definition of “Agriculture Law”
As I mentioned in my previous blog, I recently joined JD Supra where my documents can be found here. Today, JD Supra featured my profile on its facebook page. I was asked what exactly agriculture law was from an editor in Florida where I did my best to answer her in limited space. Since I oftentimes receive this question (lately …