Drake Law School’s Agricultural Law Center will host a forum regarding the impact of this past summer’s drought on Iowa agriculture. The event, “Dealing with the Drought: Legal Issues Facing Iowa Agriculture,” will be held on Sept. 20 at 12:30 p.m. at the Neal and Bea Smith Legal Clinic, 2400 University Ave.
The forum is co-sponsored by the Iowa State Bar Association Agricultural Law Committee. Topics for the forum include crop insurance, financial issues, grain contracts and marketing disputes, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) drought programs, and will feature a variety of experts and speakers.
“The drought raises many legal issues for the farmers and businesses it has impacted,” says Neil Hamilton, director of the Agricultural Law Center at Drake and organizer of the forum. “We are excited to partner with the Iowa State Bar Association to create a forum where lawyers and other farm advisers can discuss the issues facing Iowa’s farmers and identify the questions that will undoubtedly arise.
Where: The Neal and Bea Smith Legal Clinic, 2400 University Ave., Des Moines
Cost: Free
Online Registration: http://sustainablefarmlease.org/drought-forum-registration/
“USDA has long been the agency to hold the safety net for farmers when disasters happen like this year’s drought,” says John R. Whitaker, Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) state executive director. “We want to make sure all of the holes in the net are filled so no one falls through. This forum is an opportunity to encourage those serving farmers to work together so Iowa farmers are able to remain as economically strong as possible in the face of this historic drought.”
Speakers include Leslie Miller, vice president of Iowa State Savings Bank; Erin Herbold-Swalwell, chair of the Iowa State Bar Association Agricultural Law Committee; Ed Cox, Agricultural Law Center Fellow; Hamilton; and Whitaker.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register online at http://sustainablefarmlease.org/drought-forum-registration/.
Founded in 1983, the Drake Agricultural Law Center is internationally recognized for providing opportunities to study how the legal system shapes our food system and influences the ability of the agricultural sector to produce, market and utilize agricultural products. The Center is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
For more information, contact Matt Russell at 515-271-4956 or matt.russell@drake.edu.
Photo courtesy of WxMom via Flickr.