⋅ BY DREW VIGUET ⋅
What’s next for users and makers of crop protection products in a post-dicamba, pro-Endangered Species Act environment? That’s among the questions to be answered at the 11th Annual Mid-South Agricultural & Environmental Law Conference on June 6-7, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Rod Snyder, senior advisor for agriculture to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, and Brigit Rollins, staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center, will be addressing the issue as co-presenters for “Tomorrow’s Harvest: An Overview of the Regulatory and Litigation Landscape for Crop Protection Products.”
Rollins said recent litigation has spurred significant changes in pesticide regulation, including vacating the registration for widely used herbicides and shifts in EPA enforcement philosophy.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen dicamba become unavailable for use more than once as the direct result of lawsuits and subsequent court decisions,” she said. “Going forward, we’re expecting to see additional restrictions on pesticide use as the EPA works to come into better compliance with the Endangered Species Act.”
One outcome of the EPA’s shift toward a closer alignment with ESA will likely mean increased use restrictions for applicators.
“With changes to pesticide labels coming in rapidly, and sometimes unexpectedly for producers, staying informed is critical,” Rollins said.
About The Mid-South
The 2024 Mid-South conference will be held at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. The annual “Beer & BBQ” networking dinner will be held the evening of June 6 at The Rendezvous ahead of the main conference program on June 7.
“The Mid-South is an important event for the NALC and our stakeholders,” Harrison Pittman, director of the NALC, said. “The Mid-South region of the country is uniquely impacted by numerous agricultural issues, both long-standing and emerging. Our goal with the Mid-South is always to bring top-notch presenter talent and information, and we are again accomplishing that in our 11th year.”
The Mid-South also features an “Early Bird” online program Tuesday, May 14. Rollins will be providing an ag and food law update alongside NALC Senior Staff Attorney Elizabeth Rumley. Their session will cover topics like Prop 12, waters of the U.S. and the Farm Bill.
Conference attendees who register for the Mid-South by Monday, May 13 can view the online Early Bird.
Full session titles and speakers for the main conference program include:
• Estate Planning and The Farm: Top Tips and Practice Pointers — Connie Haden, founder and partner at The Law Firm of Haden & Colbert.
• Fourth Amendment and Agriculture: Warrantless Access to Ag and Private Rural Lands — Robert Frommer, senior attorney, Institute for Justice and Joshua Windham, attorney and Elfie Gallun, Fellow in Freedom and the Constitution, Institute for Justice.
• Tomorrow’s Harvest: An Overview of the Regulatory and Litigation Landscape for Crop Protection Products — Rod Snyder, senior adviser for agriculture to the EPA Administrator and Brigit Rollins, staff attorney, NALC.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture National Appeals Division 101: What You and Your Farm Client Need to Know — Danielle Lake, deputy regional director, USDA National Appeals Division.
• Artificial Intelligence in Law Practice: Navigating the Ethical Landscape — Ellen Murphy, professor of practice, Wake Forest University School of Law.
• 2024 and Beyond: Ag Tax Update and the Corporate Transparency Act — Kristine Tidgren, director, Center for Agricultural Law & Taxation, Dolezal Adjunct Associate Professor, Agricultural Education, Iowa State University.
Continuing Education
The Mid-South will be submitted for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Approval for Continuing Education (CE) will also be sought from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The NALC is also on Facebook and LinkedIn. For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s twice-monthly newsletter highlighting the recent legal developments facing agriculture.