5 Aug, 2011

Relief from the Heat; Farm Bill program compensates for heat-related livestock deaths.

2018-04-23T18:22:24-05:00August 5th, 2011|Construction Contractor Advisor, Farm Management, Government Regulations, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Breaking news...it's been hot across the Midwest for the past two weeks.  Okay, so it is not breaking news and it is not breaking news to livestock producers that the heat has stressed herds across the country.  The record low national cattle herd has been especially stressed with Iowa alone estimating between 3,400 and 4,000 heat-related cattle deaths.  Per Dan Pillar's Des Moines Register article found here. However, what many producers may not know is that a [...]

27 Jul, 2011

No Trespassing: Organic Producers Pushing Back on Overspray

2018-04-23T18:22:24-05:00July 27th, 2011|Construction Contractor Advisor, Farm Management, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Pesticide applicators are starting to feel pressure from the expansion of organic production across the country.  Recent court decisions have landed in favor of organic producers in cases regarding pesticide overspray or drift which taints entire fields of organic crops.  While not new, these cases are becoming more common.  Most recently, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, for the first time, ruled that pesticides crossing property lines constituted a trespass and allows the property owner to collect damages. The case [...]

27 May, 2011

Children at Work: The Dangers of Child Labor and Agriculture

2018-04-23T18:22:24-05:00May 27th, 2011|Construction Contractor Advisor, Farm Management, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Working in and around grain bins was just one of the many jobs I performed at a very young age while growing up on a farm just outside of Neola, Iowa.  Many times I worked those grain bins alongside friends the same age as myself and outside the scope of adult supervision.  I was reminded of this work when I came across a recent 60 Minute episode (found here) which questioned whether 12 year olds should be working [...]

8 May, 2011

Farm Equipment and the Road: Preventing Catostrophic Liability

2018-04-23T18:22:25-05:00May 8th, 2011|Construction Contractor Advisor, Farm Management, Midwest Agricultural Law|

Midwesterners are used to sharing rural two lane highways with large farm equipment and tractor-trailers transporting crops and livestock.  Despite the familiarity, traffic accidents involving passenger cars and farm equipment or tractor-trailers occur every year which are sometimes horrific.  Liability from such accidents can literally force a farmer or rancher operation out of business if he or she has not taken the appropriate steps to protect itself from liability.  The following is a list of five steps a farmer or [...]

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