News

August 10, 2021 In News

Reuters: 8th Circuit revives challenge to Arkansas ag-gag law

A divided federal appeals court on Monday reinstated a First Amendment challenge by several advocacy organizations against Arkansas’ 2017 “ag-gag” law, which authorizes farms and other businesses to sue for as much as $5,000 per day if an undercover investigator surreptitiously records operations and shares...

August 9, 2021 In News

Law360: 8th Circ. Revives Challenge To Arkansas ‘Ag Gag’ Law

The Eighth Circuit on Monday revived animal rights organizations' and a green group's lawsuit that seeks to overturn a state law that punishes whistleblowers at industrial agricultural facilities....

August 9, 2021 In News

Associated Press: Appeals court revives challenge to Arkansas ‘ag-gag’ lawsuit

A federal appeals court revived a legal challenge Monday to an Arkansas law that farm organizations have used to shield themselves from undercover investigations by animal rights groups....

July 28, 2021 In News

Law360: 9th Circ. OKs USDA Win In Clash Over Ads To Eat More Beef

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the U.S. Department of Agriculture's summary judgment win against independent ranchers challenging assessments on cattle sales that fund industry groups' pro-beef consumption advertisements, holding in a published opinion Tuesday the advertisements are government speech exempt from First Amendment scrutiny....

July 9, 2021 In News

Law360: Tenn. Judge Blocks Biden’s Race-Based Loan Relief Program

A federal judge in Tennessee added to a flurry of injunctions blocking President Joe Biden's debt relief program aimed at helping Black and Native farmers recover from the pandemic, one month after a local county commissioner sued the government for discrimination....

June 30, 2021 In News

Advocate Capital: Public Justice Files a Lawsuit Against Smithfield Foods

The Food & Water Watch, represented by Public Justice, recently filed a lawsuit against Smithfield Foods. Public Justice filed the lawsuit alleging the meat processing company lied to consumers during the pandemic to protect their bottom line at the expense of their workers....

June 24, 2021 In News

New York Times: Judge Blocks $4 Billion U.S. Debt Relief Program for Minority Farmers

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from making loan forgiveness payments to minority farmers as part of a $4 billion program intended to address a long history of racial injustice in American farming. ...

June 24, 2021 In News

Law360: Biden Admin.’s Race-Based Farm Debt Relief Program Halted

Law360 (June 24, 2021, 7:43 PM EDT) -- A Florida federal judge said a Biden administration program providing farm loan debt relief to certain racial minority groups seems to improperly rely "on present discrimination to remedy past discrimination" in the government's farm loan program....

June 21, 2021 In News

CNN: Advocacy group accuses Smithfield Foods of falsely warning of meat shortages

New York (CNN Business) Smithfield Foods, one of the country's top meat processors, has been sued by a consumer advocacy group, which alleges that Smithfield misled the public when it raised an alarm over possible meat shortages in spring 2020. ...