Agricultural Opportunity in Cuba
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United States and Cuba officials are wrapping up an historic set of meetings in Havana that will lead to increased economic opportunity for agricultural producers in both countries.
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The Schroeder Ag Blog addresses issues facing farmers, ranchers, and businesses involved with livestock, dairy, and meat production.
New Guidance for Genetically Engineered Organisms: What Does it Mean?
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The USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Services just announced new guidance for extension requests for genetically engineered organisms. What does this mean for the public? Hopefully, it will lead to shorter review times, flexibility in extension requests, and more predictability from the government review processes. This should mean more innovation and less red tape.
Read MoreCan Gene Engineering Help Stop the Zika Virus?
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A UK company has genetically modified a line of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and released them into the wild. These are the pests responsible for the zika virus outbreak currently ravaging Central and South America and a few western African countries. Can genetic modification stop the spread of this nasty disease?
Read MoreFDA Extends Comment Period on Use of "Natural" in Food Labels
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The FDA is extending the period to receive comments on the use of the term “natural” in the labeling of human food products, including foods that are genetically engineered or contain ingredients produced through genetic engineering.
Read MoreMore Thoughts on Animal Gene Editing: Federal and State Regulation
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The governmental response to genetically-edited animals is and will continue to be a key consideration. This post explores existing and proposed regulations and laws affecting genetically-edited animals.
Read MoreAnimal Gene Editing: the Science of Gene Editing for a Non-Scientist
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Hornless dairy cattle, mosquitoes resistant to malaria, mice cured of muscular dystrophy, PRRS-resistant pigs, fast-growing salmon, livestock that require less food and have less of an environmental footprint—these are just a few examples of advantages created by the new technological tool known as gene editing.
Read MoreTop Ten Trends to Expect in 2016
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This year will bring increased technology, international trade, and innovation in the agricultural world. Here are my top ten trends to watch in 2016.
Read MoreThe Growing Tomato Processing Industry
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The tomato is the most widely-grown vegetable in the United States. Almost everyone who has a garden has at least one tomato plant. According to the USDA, the United States is second only to China in tomato production.
Read MoreTemporary Restraining Orders in Environmental or Agricultural Litigation
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Temporary restraining orders are a powerful tool in environmental or agricultural litigation. For a party that is considering a TRO, it has the power to immediately halt excavation of a pit, stop construction of barns, or prevent the imposition of a new regulation. For a party facing a TRO, violation of such an order can lead to steep fines, being held in contempt of court, and a multitude of other punishments.
Read MoreWetlands in Agriculture - Swampbuster
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Swampbuster is the term used for the federal law that discourages farmers from altering wetlands by withholding federal farm program benefits from any person who: (1) plants an agricultural commodity on a converted wetland that was converted by drainage, dredging, leveling, or any other means; or (2) converts a wetland for the purpose of or to make agricultural commodity production possible.
Read MoreConsiderations in Land Application Leases
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I recently wrote an article for the Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation Spotlight newsletter that focused on important considerations in land application agreements. These are the agreements used when a confined feeding operation ("CFO") applies manure to land not owned by the CFO.
Read MoreLeaking USTs Still a Problem in Rural Indiana
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According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”), there are over 2,100 leaking USTs in Indiana—and this is just the number of reported leaking tanks. This is a problem across rural America.
Read MoreClean Water Act Basics for Farmers
/One central law in approaching wetlands in agricultural areas is the Clean Water Act ("CWA"). 33 USC § 1251 et seq. The CWA allows the EPA to enforce its provisions and provides for citizen suits. Non-compliance with the CWA can lead to fines and lawsuits. Farmers should make sure they are not violating the CWA anytime they move dirt on their farm.
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Ten years ago American Farm Bureau published the Privacy and Security Principles for Farm Data. In 2024, these “Core Principles” for use of ag data have been updated.