Ag law: what is it?

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Agricultural law covers land rights, water, pesticides, fertilizers, finance, insurance, marketing, infrastructure, and employment. The National Agricultural Law Center is the main source for agricultural law research and information in the US. The center is funded by the federal government and provides information about the Agriculture Act. The US government coordinates efforts to address outbreaks of agricultural food poisoning, and companies that distribute infected products could face retribution. Agricultural law pertains to produce, livestock products, grain products, farmland, and anything grown or harvested.

Land law, sometimes called agricultural law, encompasses more than just food and basic agriculture. Under the umbrella of agricultural law are laws on land rights, water, pesticides and fertilizers. There are laws that also cover finance, insurance, marketing, infrastructure and employment. Agriculture law also typically falls under the title of environmental law, dealing with energy, forestry, fisheries, and natural resources.

The National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) is the only institution in the United States that serves as a source for agricultural law research and information. The center is funded by the federal government with direct ties to the United States National Agricultural Library, which reports to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Center. If a consumer has a question about Agriculture Act, the NALC website is the right place to inquire. The organization’s online repository provides volumes of information found nowhere else, making it an invaluable resource for the law as it pertains to all things agriculture.

An example of agricultural law in place in the United States would be the recall of peanut butter in January 2009 and Queen Victoria and Tubnel labeled spinach in September 2009. Salmonella was found to be present in both products which were already on the market. The agricultural law regulates outbreaks like this and has forced the recall of both products. Several U.S. agencies coordinate efforts when these types of incidents occur.

If a recall isn’t voluntarily issued by the companies that distribute the infected products, the US government usually steps in and mandates a recall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are the two major government entities coordinating federal efforts to address outbreaks of agricultural food poisoning. If peanut butter and spinach stores and distributors weren’t recalled and removed infected products from their shelves, they could face retribution from the federal government.

Agricultural law is a complex matter. A simple guide to remembering what farm law applies to is to think about things that pertain to farms, such as produce, livestock products, grain products, farmland, and anything grown or harvested. Each of these falls under the rubric of agricultural law and constitutes a large portion of the field.




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