http://www.agweb.com/blogs/ John Dillard grew up on a beef cattle farm and now works as an agricultural and environmental litigation attorney with OFW Law . His blog analyzes legal issues and court decisions that affect America’s farmers and ranchers.       AgWeb.comhttp://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/allow_me_to_introduce_myself/I am excited to join the AgWeb community!John DillardThu, 10 Jan 2013 18:35:00 GMT29076http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/a_court_decision_that_could_haunt_animal_agriculture/The 2009 decision in National Cotton Council v. EPA could have dire consequences for animal agriculture as EPA and state environmental agencies seek novel methods to regulate livestock operations.John DillardWed, 16 Jan 2013 12:53:00 GMT29128http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/court_tells_epa_to_get_real_on_cellulosic_ethanol_standard/Today, the Circuit Court for the District of Columbia gave both the EPA and the American Petroleum Institute a little of what they wanted in a lawsuit over the advanced biofuel component of the Renewable Fuels Standards. The court struck down EPA's 2012 cellulosic ethanol mandate, however, it uphe [...]John DillardFri, 25 Jan 2013 15:25:00 GMT29212http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/chicken_farmer,_american_farm_bureau_dont_want_to_let_epa_off_the_hook/Lois Alt, a West Virginia chicken farmer, American Farm Bureau Federation, and West Virginia Farm Bureau will not consent to dismissal of a case Alt brought against the EPA for overzealous enforcement of the Clean Water Act. EPA claims the issue is moot because it has dropped its enforcement order [...]John DillardFri, 01 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT29255http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/eminent_domain_a_threat,_but_reasons_to_be_optimistic/Eminent domain threatens farmer's private property rights, especially in the wake of the Kelo decision. But, states and local governments are stepping up to protect private property rights by restricting the circumstances in which a government or utility can take a private property for public use.John DillardTue, 12 Feb 2013 08:43:00 GMT29362http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/supreme_court_hears_arguments_in_roundup_ready_soybeans_patent_case/Today the U.S. Supreme Court is going to hear a case that will determine the breadth of patent rights as they apply to self-pollinating seeds.John DillardTue, 19 Feb 2013 07:00:00 GMT29411http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/epa_releases_cafo_information,_activist_lawsuits_could_be_on_the_rise/EPA has released information regarding CAFOs from over 30 states to a group of environmental activists. We can expect these activists to use this information to bring lawsuits aimed at disrupting modern animal agriculture.John DillardThu, 28 Feb 2013 12:13:00 GMT29510http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/are_state_gm_food_labeling_laws_constitutional/Several states are proposing laws that would require food companies to label whether its products contain GM ingredients. This post analyzes whether these laws are constitutional under the Commerce Clause.John DillardFri, 22 Mar 2013 08:00:00 GMT29692http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/engine_groups_request_supreme_court_to_hear_e15_case/The Engine Products Group has requested that the Supreme Court grant an appeal of the D.C. Circuit's decision to dismiss a challenge to EPA's decision to allow E15 fuel for commercial sale.John DillardFri, 29 Mar 2013 09:52:00 GMT29782http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/hsus,_horse_slaughter__paperwork_tigers/Animal rights activists intend to use a New Mexico lawsuit related to horse slaughter to advance a novel legal argument that could make opening any type of slaughter facility much more difficult.John DillardTue, 09 Apr 2013 08:00:00 GMT29872http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/court_allows_farm_bureau_suit_against_epa_to_proceed/A West Virginia federal court denied EPA's motion to dismiss in an action that will require EPA to defend its position that CAFOs are required to obtain NPDES permits on the basis that dust and feathers exiting ventilation fans constitute a discharge.John DillardMon, 22 Apr 2013 18:03:00 GMT29986http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/can_activist_groups_use_drones_to_spy_on_farmers/There is increasing concern within the agricultural community that activist groups will use drones to spy on farming operations.John DillardTue, 07 May 2013 09:19:00 GMT30098http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/vermont_house_of_representatives_passes_gmo_labeling_bill/John DillardFri, 10 May 2013 14:23:00 GMT30132http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/supreme_court_decision_a_win_for_agricultural_innovation/In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with Monsanto in a Roundup Ready soybeans patent infringement case.John DillardMon, 13 May 2013 16:04:00 GMT30152http://www.agweb.com/blog/ag_in_the_courtroom/hurting_farmers_to_spite_biotech_companies/Some in Congress wish to overturn the "Farmer Assurance Provision," pejoratively known as the Monsanto Protection Act. This shouldn't happen.John DillardFri, 24 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT30254