Category Archives: GMO Labeling

May 11, 2018 Weekly Round Up

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We’ve made it to another Friday!  To those of you joining from the Montague County Fence Law Meeting yesterday, welcome!  Here are some ag law stories in the news this week. *NC Judge significantly limits award in nuisance lawsuit.  You may recall last week we mentioned the $50 million nuisance verdict in favor of neighbors against Murphy Brown hog farms in North Carolina.  This week, the trial court judge limited the damage award to $3.25 million, which would equate to $325,000 per plaintiff.  This decision was based on… Read More →

May 4, 2018 Weekly Round Up

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Hello and welcome to May!  This week I had a bit of a break and was not on the road.  My friend Jesse Richardson and I did a webinar called Water Wars (discussing several interstate water disputes before the US Supreme Court) for the National Agricultural Law Center.  It was recorded and I’ll do a blog post soon sharing the link for you to listen if you missed it. Here are some of the ag law stories in the news this week. *USDA says GMO food labeling rule… Read More →

Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Dannon’s “Natural” Label

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If yogurt is made from milk that came from cows who ate feed that included genetically modified corn, can it be labeled as “natural?”  This was the question recently before a New York federal court. Background Polly Podpeskar filed a putative class action lawsuit on behalf of herself and other consumers who were mislead by Dannon’s “natural” label on certain yogurt varieties.  She claimed that a reasonable consumer would not expect a “natural” product to be made from milk from cows who had been fed genetically modified corn or… Read More →

December 8, 2017 Weekly Round Up

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Hello and welcome to another Friday!  Here are some of the ag law stories in the news this week.  For those of you in the Panhandle, my last program of 2017 will be this Tuesday in Miami talking transition planning and agricultural leases.  Seating is limited, so if you are interested, RSVP to Michael at (806) 868-3191. * Colorado moves to dismiss lawsuit seeking rights for Colorado River, seeks sanctions against Plaintiffs’ attorney.  You may recall from this prior blog post that an environmental group filed suit in Colorado… Read More →

Hawaii Judge Strikes Down Maui County GMO Ban

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A Hawaii federal judge recently ruled that a Maui County law banning GMO crops is invalid because it is pre-empted by federal and state law.  [To read the full Order, click here.] The Ordinance In November 2014, Maui County passed a ballot initiative “A Bill Placing a Moratorium on the Cultivation of Genetically Engineered Organisms” (“the Ordinance”).  The Ordinance makes it “unlawful for any person or entity to knowingly propagate, cultivate, raise, grow, or test Genetically Engineered Organisms within the County of Maui.”  An exception existed for organisms… Read More →

Oregon Farmers Growing GMO Alfalfa Lose Right to Farm Claim

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Last week, an Oregon federal court issued an important ruling in Schultz Family Farms, LLC v. Jackson County dealing with two very important, hot-button issues in agriculture:  genetically modified crops and Right to Farm laws.   Although the opinion addresses only one local ordinance, and is binding only in Oregon, it raises issues that we have likely not seen the end of and could be seeing in other places across the country. Factual Background In May 2014, Jackson County, Oregon voters passed an ordinance banning anyone from growing genetically engineered plants… Read More →

May 15, 2015 Weekly Round Up

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Last week, I found myself all over the state at various meetings.  I kicked things off in Ft. Worth, where I spoke on agricultural law at Annie’s Project.  Next up, I discussed wildlife leases at a program sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife in Bonham.  Finally, I wrapped things up speaking at a Landowner Rights Seminar in College Station.  To those of you new to the blog from these presentations, welcome! Here are some of the ag law stories recently in the news. * Groundwater Continues in… Read More →

November 21, 2014 Weekly Round Up

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We made it to Friday!  Tomorrow I will be teaching my last law school class at the Texas A&M School of Law in Ft. Worth.  I have so enjoyed the opportunity to teach this class and was fortunate to have an absolutely outstanding group of students.  To those students visiting the blog, welcome and thanks for a great semester! Here are some of the ag law stories in the news this week. * Railroad Commission Finalizes New Disposal Well Safety Rule.  The Texas Railroad Commission has promulgated a new… Read More →

November 14, 2014 Weekly Round Up

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Another weekend has arrived!  I hope you have all managed to stay warm during this first major winter snap of the season.  Here are a few ag law stories making news this week. *  Article Profiles Karnes City Response to Oil Boom.  The Texas Tribune ran an interesting article on how Karnes City, in the heart of the Eagle Ford Shale, is handling the impacts of the current oil boom.  The article highlights the benefits that the oil field has brought to the town, including money for a new high school,… Read More →

GMO Labeling Laws: Where Are We Now?

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After Tuesday’s mid-term elections, GMO labeling laws have been in the news across the country.  Supporters of such laws argue that consumers have the right to know what they are eating, while opponents argue that such laws violate free speech.  Here is a summary of where such laws currently stand across the United States.  This is an important issue that could impact food prices across the country as studies show that 60-70% of processed food items contain at least one ingredient from a GMO crop. Proposed Laws Have… Read More →