In Person Only
Event.
Join us for the 2024 Agricultural and Rural Law Institute
which will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at the Minnesota Soybean offices,
in Mankato, Minnesota. The Agricultural & Rural Law Section is excited to
present recent developments and the latest hot topics in agricultural law and
rural practice. Come for the practical education and also benefit from the
opportunity to connect with friends and colleagues in the Agricultural &
Rural Law Section.
8:00-8:15 AM | Check-In & Breakfast
8:15-9:00 AM | Agricultural & Law Section Annual
Meeting. All section members or prospective members are invited to
attend.
9:00-10:00 AM | Legislative Update: An
update regarding recent legislative matters with an emphasis on new laws
concerning agriculture and rural practice.
Bruce Kleven, Attorney,
Lobbyist and Mediator
10:00-11:00 AM | Nistler v. Walz, Opposition to
Equity in Farm Programs, and the Use of Litigation to Support It
Minnesota is one of the forefronts of efforts to oppose
government programs that support emerging farmers, including women, veterans,
persons with disabilities, American Indian or Alaskan Natives, members of a
community of color, young, LGBTQIA+, or those who want to farm in urban areas.
Nistler v. Walz, et al., filed by California lawyers in the U.S. District Court
for the District of Minnesota, challenges Minnesota’s state Down Payment
Assistance Grant Program, which helps beginning farmers purchase their first
farms. Like the multiple federal lawsuits filed to challenge American Rescue
Plan Act payments to socially disadvantaged farmers, who have faced
discrimination in farm programs, Nistler opposes prioritized assistance for
historically underserved farmers and seeks to maintain white farmers’ dominance
in traditional farm programs. This CLE will examine past and ongoing
discrimination in state and federal farm programs and the use of litigation to
oppose equity in such programs.
Stephen Carpenter, Deputy Director & Senior Staff Attorney, Farmers' Legal Action Group
Lindsay Kuehn, Staff Attorney, Farmers’ Legal Action Group
11:00-12:00 PM | CaseLaw Update: An
update of recent court decisions affecting agriculture and rural legal
practice.
Dean Zimmerli, Managing Partner, Gislason & Hunter
LLP
12:00-12:10 PM | Break – Get lunch.
Provided by the Ag & Rural Law Section
12:10-1:00 PM | Climate Smart Ag programs in the IRA
In August 2023, Congress passed the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic
legislative package known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to reduce energy
costs for families and create thousands of good-paying jobs for people across
rural America. Sections 22001 through 22005 of IRA provide new loan and grant
products and unprecedented incentives to expand clean energy, transform rural
power production, create jobs, and spur economic growth to be offered by USDA
Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and Rural Business and
Cooperative Service (RBCS).
The nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis. This
historic investment in rural communities, expands clean energy and supports
American energy independence, invests in popular conservation programs and
climate-smart agriculture, helps agricultural producers and rural small business
owners make energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments to
lower energy costs, generate new income and fosters economic opportunity.
Director Place and Ariel Kagen will discus the new programs under the IRA and
projects happening in Minnesota on farms and in rural communities to help
address climate change and increase farmer profitability.
Whitney Place, State Executive Director, USDA Farm Service Agency
Ariel Kagen, Program Director, Minnesota Farmers Union Climate and Working
Lands
1:00-2:00 PM |Coarse Grains Crop
Insurance
A presentation about the USDA coarse grains crop insurance provisions in
light of the recent Eighth Circuit decision—U.S. ex rel. Kraemer et al. v.
United Dairies, L.L.P. et al., 82 F.4th 595 (8th Cir. 2023)—and strategies for
defending producers accused of crop insurance fraud.
Jayne Esch, Attorney, Leistico & Esch, PLLC
2:00-2:10 PM | Break
2:10-3:00 PM | State Labor Law Update-MN Department of Labor and
Industry
During the 2023 Minnesota legislative session, labor laws were passed or
amended that impact agricultural, food-, meat- and poultry-processing
industries.
This session includes updates on laws affecting
employers and workers in agriculture and meat-and poultry-processing industries,
including employee notice requirements, a 70-hour pay guarantee, ergonomics and
warehouse safety requirements.
Jessica Grosz, Director of Labor Standards, Minnesota Department of Labor
and Industry
3:00 – 4:00 PM | Young and Emerging Farmers Issues
Minnesota's farmer demographics continue to show an
aging population. In recognition of this, the state of Minnesota and the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture have started many initiatives in the past
few years. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will present on issues
facing young and emerging farmers. They will also discuss programs at the
state and in the department too help address these issues and encourage more
diversity in Minnesota's farmer population.
MDA
staff