Deanna Reitman has recently joined Faegre Drinker, bolstering their finance and restructuring team in Dallas. As a partner in this practice, Reitman brings with her a wealth of experience and a focus on providing clientele with legal, regulatory, and business advice on commodities. Particularly, she has a substantial background in areas such as energy, metals,…
You might think twice about reaching for that next leafy green vegetable after reading this. A legal battle is currently underway in the United States, aiming to drastically change the way in which agriculture operates under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The lawsuit in question, as reported by The Guardian, is pushing to put an…
Willkie Farr & Gallagher recently hired former department of Justice section chief, Robert Lepore, as partner within their antitrust and competition practice group, stationed in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. This is according to a statement issued by the law firm. During his tenure at the U.S. Department of Justice, Lepore served as a section…
In a recent development, the United States Congress has successfully onboarded an interim bill to prevent a partial shutdown of the federal government, now waiting for the approval of President Joe Biden. Temporary funding has been extended for some departments through March 8 and others until March 22 even as lawmakers work diligently to reconcile…
Worry over the potential implications of Koch Industries Inc.’s $3.6 billion purchase of an Iowa fertilizer plant has driven all 36 Democratic state representatives to call upon the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Justice Department, and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird (R) to investigate its possible anticompetitive effects. The lawmakers have expressed concerns that the…
Last Thursday, in a unanimous slip opinion, the US Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision: establishing that the federal government can indeed be liable under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This ruling argues that the FCRA waives sovereign immunity, meaning the federal government can be held responsible for inaccuracies in credit score reporting. Justice…
Thursday, February 8, marked another significant day at the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). The Court heard oral arguments for the Trump v. Anderson case, an appeal from former President Donald Trump challenging whether states can remove him from their election ballots under the 14th Amendment, Section 3, known as the “insurrection clause”….
In today’s legal landscape, cannabis regulation continues to be a hot topic as states grapple with an evolving industry. Recently, Nicole Elliott, a state cannabis regulator in California, stated that there is significant resistance to allowing retail cannabis sales in some cities and counties. According to her, this is a “huge issue that needs to…
In a recent turn of events, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the federal government can face lawsuits for failing to correct erroneous information appearing on consumer credit reports. This news implicates a significant shift in the legal landscape of credit reporting and challenges the conventional belief of government immunity. This unanimous decision came…
The French government announced on Friday a set of urgent measures effectively backtracking on an earlier plan to reduce state subsidies on agricultural diesel. These measures are designed not just to alleviate the life of farmers, but also to safeguard their income. Rolled out within an overarching objective of agricultural independence and food sovereignty, these…
In the past year, an increase in scrutiny of foreign investment in US agricultural land was noted by both federal and state governments. In light of significant findings regarding deficiencies in the current process, it is expected that this will remain a key focus in the upcoming year. On January 18th a report was released…
In ongoing eye-catching news, outspoken Cambodian critic Ny Nak, who was reportedly assaulted with his wife by men wielding batons in 2023, has been arrested on charges of defamation. The charges were initiated by a cabinet minister relating to posts he made on Facebook criticizing the Ministry of Agriculture. Nak previously served an 18-month prison…
In an effort to end the months-long blockade on the Ukraine border, Poland’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Czeslaw Siekierski, signed an agreement this past Saturday. The agreement was made with Teresa Kubas-Hul, the provincial governor of Pokarpackie, and Roman Kondrow, a representative of the farmer group Oszukana Wieś, otherwise known as Deceived Village….
Recently, two identical defamation lawsuits filed by Grover Gaming against employees of a competing firm, Powerhouse Gaming Inc., have been allowed to proceed by a federal judge in Virginia. Grover Gaming, an electronic pull tabs provider licensed by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs, alleges that Powerhouse…
The nomination of a prominent American Indian lawyer, Sara Hill, to a trial court in Oklahoma has stirred up controversy within the state’s Republican party, despite the nomination coming from President Joe Biden himself. The divisive reaction has emerged due to differing opinions among the state’s GOP leadership. Bloomberg Law reported on the unfolding situation…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently issued a final rule that significantly updates the list of Bioengineered Foods. The list is maintained under the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS). Specific amendments to the list include the addition of BT insect-resistant varieties of sugarcane. Notably, the rule also amends the…
Regulation can often seem like a labyrinth to those attempting to bring a new product to the table in the U.S., especially within the healthy food and beverage sector. Identifying the authorities that govern one’s product and understanding their respective purview is a paramount initial step. However, this task might not always be as straightforward…
The Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA), Mexico’s national water authority, has recently published a draft for a new Official Mexican Standard (NOM). The goal of this proposed legislation is to increase effectiveness in the prevention of contamination of aquifers and maintain both the quantity and quality of water resources. The move, outlined in detail at…
Firli Bahuri, the Chairman of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), has been identified as a suspect in an alleged extortion case involving the former Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo. This allegation was confirmed Wednesday by Ade Safri Simanjuntak, Jakarta police’s director for special crime. He affirmed there was “sufficient evidence” for these accusations….
The changing landscape of U.S. biotechnology regulations has been a topic of increasing focus, and for good reason. Especially now, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have recently opened requests for stakeholder engagement pertaining to such regulatory frameworks. This development provides an opening for key players the…
In the latest issues of Food Venture Financing News, companies in the foodtech and agtech sectors reveal their latest finance ventures. Most notably, Aigen, a leading name in the agtech industry, announced it has secured $12 million in its Series A financing. Aigen is known for their innovative approach towards the agriculture industry, with a…
The United States has seen a surge of activity from key federal environmental regulators, notably from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), various federal departments, and the Council on Environmental Quality. Even the Department of Agriculture has grappled with the challenge of managing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions within its remit over agricultural operations and national forests….
In a recent verdict that may impact regulations in the food and agriculture industry, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke all food tolerances for chlorpyrifos, a pesticide extensively used by growers. The case in question is Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Ass’n v….
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been ordered to pay Michael Johnson Logging $10,632 in lawyers’ fees and costs over its faulty opposition to the company’s contract breach appeal, according to a recent ruling. Judge Kathleen J. O’Rourke of the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals stated that the timber company is entitled to these…
The recently released Fifth National Climate Assessment from the US government confirms an increase in extreme weather events as a direct result of climate change, despite a national decrease in US greenhouse gas emissions. The report emphasizes the urgent need for further action to avert potential nationwide catastrophe. The urgency comes in the backdrop of…