Farmers & Rural Communities
The Wisconsin State Farmer: Summary judgment issued against R-CALF in checkoff case
“The Magistrate held that for decades USDA had been violating producers’ rights and the Constitution by turning over money to unaccountable state beef councils.”
Drovers: Beef Checkoff Prevails In Crucial Court Ruling
A Montana magistrate judge granted summary judgement Wednesday (Jan. 29, 2020) to the government and the 15 qualified state beef councils targeted in the R-CALF vs. Sonny Perdue lawsuit. That decision…
Agri-Pulse Daybreak: NEPA proposal could shield USDA loans
Listen to the story here. The administration’s proposal to set deadlines for National Environmental Policy Act analyses and reduce the number of federal actions that would be subject to review also singles…
How Beef Companies Use the Checkoff to Squeeze Ranchers
The checkoff is a federal tax that forces ranchers to pay $1 per head every time cattle are sold, half of which is used in Montana and other states to…
Dakota Rural Action v. USDA
A coalition of groups representing family farmers, sustainable agriculture advocates and concerned citizens throughout the country filed suit against the United States Department of Agriculture. The suit aims to stop…
Beef Checkoff (R-CALF v. Vilsack and R-CALF v. USDA)
For an in-depth explanation on how checkoff programs hurt independent farmers and how FarmSTAND uses litigation to fight for a fairer system, read our Deep Dive. R-CALF challenges the checkoff’s…
Standing Up to the Chicken Industry’s Abuse of Contract Farmers
The meat industry flexes its anti-competitive market power in abusive ways. Learn how one Tyson Foods contractor featured in Super Size Me 2 is working with Public Justice to stand…
Jessica Culpepper: Mobilizing Lawyers in the Fight for a Better Food System
Jessica Culpepper, director of the Food Project, talks about her vision for a better, healthier food system that results in healthy, empowered communities and sustainable livelihoods for farmers — and…
NWI Times: Court ruling prioritizes corporations over families