Most people today are more removed than ever from their food sources. At the same time, consumers are more concerned than ever about where their food comes from. Sustainability is the ruling concept. What can producers do to connect with
Janzen Agricultural Law LLC Blogs
Latest from Janzen Agricultural Law LLC
Building a National Ag Data Infrastructure
I recently advised the AGree Initiative and the Data Foundation on a white paper titled: Modernizing Agricultural Data Infrastructure to Improve Economic and Ecological Outcomes. The white paper explains the current problems with the USDA’s decentralized, disorganized system for
Sackett Part 2: what is a wetland, anyway?
For the past 15 years, farmers and landowners have been whiplashed by the EPA’s changing definition of Waters of the United States (“WOTUS”). This includes a frequently litigated area of WOTUS: wetlands. Not quite dry land, not quite the Mississippi,
How Antiquated Real Estate Laws are Stopping Farmers from Fighting Climate Change
Nearly every large food industry corporation today has pledged to combat climate change by reducing its own carbon footprint. McDonald’s has pledged to be net zero by 2050. (McDonald’s Accelerating Climate Action to Reach Net Zero Emissions by 2050).
Rethinking Cloud-Connected Machines in Times of International Conflict
My car recently did an over-the-air update of its operating system, directly downloading new software from the manufacturer’s cloud-based mothership. This is great for me, as the car’s own, since the manufacturer can address bugs remotely without me having to take
State Legislation Threatening Livestock Farms
While we are all watching “the big one”—California’s Prop 12, which is now being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court—other state livestock proposals have popped up across the country. Some, if enacted, could put livestock farms out of business
Supreme Court will Consider Whether California Pork Law Violates Constitution
On Monday March 28, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) agreed to decide whether pork producers can sue over California’s Proposition 12, which essentially regulates livestock practices nationwide. California voters approved Prop 12 in 2018. The law
Ukraine's Impact on Global Agriculture
We may want to buy locally produced food, but the reality is that agriculture is a global enterprise. Disruptions in agriculture across the globe create ripples in agriculture elsewhere. When major disruptions happen to major food producing regions—like Ukraine—the impact too
Lessons from Criminal Prosecution of Pennsylvania Dairy Farm
A Pennsylvania Court of Appeals recently reversed a trial court’s order to dismiss a petition to review the decision of a district attorney’s office to not prosecute a dairy farm for animal cruelty and neglect. In other words, the court
War Changes Everything.
About 30 years ago, I was lucky to take a trip across Ukraine as part of a college history course. We visited Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. We visited former German towns in southeastern Ukraine where my ancestors farmed before leaving for the Kansas