The Farm to Firm (formerly the Agricultural Law Update) newsletter is a benefit provided as a practical resource to keep AALA members current on developments in agricultural law while also providing in-depth analysis of relevant legal issues affecting the agricultural industry. Farm to Firm is provided on a monthly basis. To read past editions of the newsletter, click the following titles. To read the most current edition, please log into the members-only area of the website and navigate to the Newsletter page of the Resources section.

AALA looks forward to receiving and publishing diverse articles that reflect the broad and growing issues facing agriculture, food, and the law. If interested in writing an article, please e-mail Paul Goeringer or Jackie Schweichler.

Current Edition

Farm to Firm – April 2024

• A Word From the Newsletter Committee
• How California’s Climate and GHG Disclosure Laws May Impact Your Business, Even If the SEC’s New Climate Disclosure Rule Doesn’t
• A Message From the Board
• AALA Members in the News

Past Editions

Agricultural Law Update – Spring 2023

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• FEATURE ARTICLES: TOPICS FROM THE AALA 2022 SYMPOSIUM
  • PFAS in Farming and Food, Thomas Parker Redick
  • Solutions for Heirs Property Owners, Amber Miller, Jesse Richardson Jr., and Laura Vaught
  • State Trends in Agriculture Labor Laws, Ausin C. Vincent
  • Pesticide Regulation: Updates on Glyphosate and Other Occurring Issues, Brigit Rollins

Agricultural Law Update – Fall 2022

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• FEATURE ARTICLES: ANIMAL PRODUCTION ISSUES
  • Right-to-Farm Update, Jake Parker
  • U.S. Supreme Court to Decide Fate of California Prop. 12, Merrit Jones, Jennifer Jackson, Brandon Neuschafer and Luke Westerman
  • 2022’s Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak, Brook Duer
  • Agriculture Fraud and Trespass: Legislative and Litigation Update, Eldon McAfee

Agricultural Law Update – Spring 2022

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• FEATURE ARTICLES: TOPICS FROM THE 2021 AALA Symposium
  • Solar Development on Agricultural Lands: Five Questions Every Landowner (and Their Attorney) Should Ask, Brianna J. Schroeder, Paul Goeringer, and Shannon L. Ferrell
  • Agricultural Finance, Jeffrey A. Peterson
  • Food Law, Susan Schneider
  • Environmental Law, Anthony Schutz
  • Tax Law, Kristine Tidgren
  • Land Use and Resource Law, Jesse Richardson

Agricultural Law Update – Summer 2021

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• FEATURE ARTICLES: ESTATE AND SUCCESSION PLANNING
  • Pondering the Future of Basis Adjustments, Michael P. Sampson
  • What Tax Changes Can We Expect, If Any? Robert Moore
• STUDENTS AT WORK
  • Meet Amie Wilcox, former Research Fellow at the National Agricultural Law Center
• THE AGRICULTURAL LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY

Agricultural Law Update – Spring 2021

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• TOOLS OF THE TRADE
  • During Remote Work, Focus on Small Tasks to Help with Concentration and Motivation, Chloe Marie
  • It’s the Cases You Don’t Take That Make Your Life Better, Brook Duer
• STUDENTS AT WORK
  • Meet Audry Thompson, student at Penn State Law
• FEATURE ARTICLES: TOPICS FROM THE 2020 AALA CONFERENCE
  • A Primer for Successfully Resolving Distressed Agricultural Loans, Michael D. Fielding, Stefan Knudsen and Richard Beheler
  • Seven Questions to Ask Before A Dairy Farmer Should Sign a Letter of Intent to Build an Anerobic Digester, Todd J. Janzen and Ashley Ellixson
  • PFAS and Agriculture: The Calm Before the Storm, Mary-Thomas Hart and Clay Detlefsen
  • Updates to the Agricultural Law Updates
    • Agricultural Finance, Jeffrey A. Peterson
    • Food Law, Matthew G. Ball
    • Environmental Law, Anthony Schutz
    • Tax Law, Kristine Tidgren
    • Land Use and Resource Law, Jesse Richardson and Tiffany Dowell Lashmet

Agricultural Law Update – Spring 2020

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• PRACTICE TIPS
• STUDENTS AT WORK
• THE AGRICULTURAL LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY
• FEATURE ARTICLES

Agricultural Law Update – Winter 2020

• A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
• TOOLS OF THE TRADE
• THE AGRICULTURAL LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY
• FEATURE ARTICLES: CURRENT ISSUES IN FOOD LAW

Agricultural Law Update – Spring 2019

• Phelps and Goeringer, A QUICK INTRODUCTORY NOTE FROM EDITORS
• Paul Goeringer, CHANGES TO TITLE I THE COMMODITY TITLE OF THE 2018 FARM BILL
• Jess Phelps, TITLE II: THE CONSERVATION TITLE
• Brianna Schroeder, FARM BILL TITLE VI – RURAL DEVELOPMENT
• Erin Parker, 2018 FARM BILL SUMMARY: NUTRITION TITLE
• Blake Johnson, INDIAN COUNTRY FARM BILL UPDATE
• Paul Goeringer, 2018 FARM BILL MAKES HEMP PRODUCTION LEGAL ONLY IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS

Agricultural Law Update – Winter 2019

• Phelps and Goeringer, A QUICK INTRODUCTORY NOTE FROM EDITORS
• Tyler Mark and Johnathan Shepard, GROWING PAINS AHEAD FOR THE HEMP INDUSTRY
• Jonathan Havens, Lauren Farruggia, and Keith Williams, USDA ISSUES LONG-AWAITED HEMP PRODUCTION RULE, SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED, MANY REMAIN.
• Tiffany Lashmet, USDA FINAL HEMP RULE SUMMARY
• Blake Jackson, INDUSTRIAL HEMP PRODUCTION AND THE 2018 FARM BILL: TAX IMPLICATIONS FOR TRIBAL PRODUCERS
• Melissa Subjeck and Mila Buckner, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY: HOW DO I PROTECT MY VALUABLE BRAND NAME PRODUCTS AND SERVICES?
• Paul Goeringer, HEMP PRODUCTION AND THE RIGHT-TO-FARM LAW

Agricultural_Law_Update_-_Fall_2018

• Peggy Kirk Hall, REDUCING THE RISK OF LIABILITY FOR ZOONOTIC DISEASE TRANSMISSION ON AGRITOURISM OPERATIONS
• Drew L. Kershen, COMMENTARY: U.S. LITIGATION OVER “NATURAL” LABELS
• Drew L. Kershen, AGRICULTURAL LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY – 2 ND QUARTER 2018

Agricultural Law Update Spring 2018

• Kristine Tidgren, IMPACTS OF THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS
• Linda Chezem, AGRICULTURE AND NEW FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (FMCSA) REGULATIONS
• Drew Kershen, AGRICULTURAL LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY – 3RD QUARTER 2017

Agricultural Law Update – Fall 2017

• Justin Newell Hesser, THE BATTLE OVER “AG-GAG” LAWS CONTINUES, WITH CHALLENGERS HAVING SUCCESS
• Todd J. Janzen, WILL SHARING AG DATA LEAD TO ANTI-TRUST VIOLATIONS?
• Drew Kershen, GMO FOOD – MANDATORY LABELING IN THE UNITED STATES
• Joe Willis, INTRODUCING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA NATURAL RESOURCE USER’S LAW AND POLICY CENTER
• Drew Kershen, AGRICULTURAL LAW BIBLIOGRAPHY – 2ND QUARTER 2017

Agricultural Law Update – Summer 2017