Data-Driven Analysis of Farm Practices in the Midwest

Nathan Roseberg visiting scholar, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic, and Bryce Wilson Stucki, an independent researcher, just released a new report: More Than CAFOS and Corn: A Statistical Analysis of Agriculture in Six Midwestern States. This report will be a critical resource for advocates and policymakers seeking to better understand the mid-west’s agricultural landscape in greater detail…

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Improving The USDA National Organic Program

Kaitlynn Dixon is a law student at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and a guest contributor to this blog. Organic farming was first developed in the early 1900s by agricultural researcher Sir Albert Howard, emphasizing the impact that preserving soil’s natural biome has on crop viability. As agriculture became more industrialized in the 1940s, relying heavily on chemical fertilizers…

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What a Split Congress Means for the Farm Bill

Robert Velazquez is a law student at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and a guest contributor to this blog. Between the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate there are 535 voting members who determine the future and scope of a farm bill. Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), recently remarked at the…

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Maximizing the Impact of the Working Lands Programs for Climate Change Mitigation and Equity

Alex Sadzewicz is a student at the University of Maryland Francis K. Carey School of Law. Nathan McMullen is a student at the University of Maryland College Park. They are both guest contributors to this blog. The Environment Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) are the working lands programs from the United States Department of Agriculture…

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House SCCC Report Includes Major Agriculture Policy and Food Waste Reduction Recommendations

This blogpost is cross-posted from the HLS Food Law & Policy Clinic Blog. Original version here. Ali Schklair and MJ McDonald are interns at the HLS Food Law & Policy Clinic and guest contributors to this blog.  In June 2020, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (Select Committee) released Solving the Climate Crisis, a comprehensive set of recommendations to confront…

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Student Series: Investigation into USDA’s Handling of Climate Research

The USDA has come under scrutiny recently over whether the agency withheld various climate change reports from the public. On September 19, 2019, Senate Democrats released a report (the DPCC report) citing more than 1,400 climate studies from USDA that the agency failed to publicize. According to the report, the USDA did not issue announcements or press releases on more…

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Encouraging Risky CAFOs in the Age of Climate Change

Cover Photo: Hogs swimming through floods in Duplin County, NC. NPR | Kelly Guerin   Earlier this month Hurricane Dorian tore through the Southeast United States and the Bahamas. It devastated the Carolinas, spawning nearly two dozen tornadoes and leaving 418,000 people without power in the region. Of particular concern is the massive flooding in North Carolina, a state which…

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The 2018 Farm Bill Is Surprisingly Climate-Conscious

Originally published at American College for Environmental Lawyers Cross-posted with permission from the author Roughly every five years, Congress revises and renews the Farm Bill to fund our nation’s food security, nutrition, and farm conservation programs. The 2018 Farm Bill, which passed with large bipartisan majorities in both chambers, is surprisingly climate-conscious. Its successes will serve as a foundation upon…

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Fixing The Floodgates: The Need To Link Disaster Relief And Climate Change Resilience — Part Two

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, farmers across the Southeast face devastating losses to this year’s harvest and livestock operations. Through the Farm Bill and other authorizing statutes, Congress has created several programs that allow farmers to receive financial assistance after a natural disaster. These USDA programs go far in helping affected individuals recover and move forward. However, USDA disaster relief programs…

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Fixing the Floodgates: The Need to Link Disaster Relief and Climate Change Resilience — Part One

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, farmers across the Southeast face devastating losses to this year’s harvest and livestock operations. Through the Farm Bill and other authorizing statutes, Congress has created several programs that allow farmers to receive financial assistance after a natural disaster. These USDA programs go far in helping affected individuals recover and move forward. However,…

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