Categories: Environmental Law Administrative and Regulatory Law

Instructor(s)

Tai, Steph

Course Data

Room 5223
R 12:15pm-2:15am

Pass/Fail: Yes

Course Description


Agricultural Law and
the Environment


Recent bestsellers such as The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Animal,
Vegetable, Mineral: A Year of Food Life
have brought greater public
attention to the environmental impacts of agriculture, especially industrial
agriculture, than in the recent past. Legislative attention has also been on
the rise with the current debates over the proposed Food and Energy Security
Act of 2007, which contains provisions dedicated to conserving and protecting
the environment on tens of millions of acres of farmland, ranch land, and
wetlands.

We will explore current federal, state, and international
debates over how agricultural legal systems can affect the natural environment
through case studies of concentrated/confined animal feeding operations
(CAFOs), soil conservation programs, biofuel incentives, organic certification
schemes, and other controversies. Students will have several options in lieu of
a final examination: a longer independent research paper that would satisfy the
upper-level writing requirement; a longer directed-research paper in
collaboration with a relevant agriculture/environment organization; or a
shorter independent research paper and a shorter directed-research paper.  Depending on student interest, appetizers
cooked from locally grown ingredients may also be provided.


 

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