Law 792: Introduction to Federal Agricultural Law and the Forces That Shape it and Agricultural Policy

The course has two goals.  First, provide a general overview of the breadth of Federal Agricultural Law and its impact. Second, study how the principles Administrative Law, Appropriations Law, and Constitutional Law come together to shape Federal Agricultural Law and policy.

This course will look at these issues from practitioner’s perspective:

• The basic structures of Federal Agricultural Law, including the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, and the Farm Bill.
• How legal principles of Administrative Law, Appropriations Law, and Constitutional Law create leverage for the parties (agencies, the White House, Congress, and stakeholders) to influence agricultural policy and offer opportunities for creative lawyering to create “workarounds” to accomplish specific policy goals.

By the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of not only Agricultural Law, but how recent court decisions and actions by the current Administration are fundamentally changing the development of Agricultural Law and policy. These changes are impacting agricultural production, especially on Illinois farms located within a few miles of the Law School, and potentially the food that is available in the grocery store.

Sequences and Prerequisites:  None.

Evaluation:  Take home exam (80%) and class attendance and participation (20%).