Current Agriculture-Environment Issues – 6709

Spring 2017
Hon. David Minge
Stephen Carpenter

The seminar will cover selected legal environmental issues related to agriculture. Half the semester will explore the Des Moines Water Works litigation. Filed in 2015 by a water utility, this lawsuit has attracted wide attention in the farming and environmental communities. It seeks to hold farming accountable for dramatically increased cost of treating water to meet public health standards.   Legal issues center on water quality and lead to questions of drainage, fertilizers, pesticides, erosion, irrigation, genetically modified organisms, livestock manure, and antibiotics. Also the course will consider ag/environment/legal aspects of organic farming, air quality, global warming, endangered species, and state and federal farm programs.  Attorneys, scholars, and public officials will be invited classroom guests. Students will present their research topics to the class. Readings will be selected portions of texts, articles, & cases.