By Jamie Martin
A landmark Supreme Court decision is expected to reshape how farmers and agricultural professionals interact with federal agencies.
This issue will take centre stage at the Western Water, Ag, and Environmental Law Conference held June 19–20 in Reno, Nevada.
Brigit Rollins from the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) and Lauren J. Caster of Fennemore will explain the implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Loper Bright v.
Raimondo, which ended the longstanding “Chevron doctrine.” This doctrine once required courts to defer to federal agencies' interpretations of laws. Now, courts will have the final say.
“Under Chevron, courts typically deferred to federal agencies’ interpretations of statutes when parties challenged that agency’s action in court,” said Rollins.
Caster emphasized that producers must now pay closer attention to how courts will interpret agency decisions, especially in the West, where agencies have large roles in agriculture.
Hosted by NALC and the NASDA Foundation, the conference offers continuing education credits, including ethics hours and credits from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
NALC Director Harrison Pittman said, “Agriculture is arguably the most heavily regulated industry in the country. Thus, any change in the scope of agency authority has a major impact on the ag industry.”
Additional details, including registration and livestream options, are available at nationalaglawcenter.org/western2025.
The NALC, created by Congress in 1987, works with various agricultural stakeholders to provide nonpartisan legal resources. The NASDA Foundation supports state agriculture departments and their innovation efforts.
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