Farm

Tragedy Strikes as Jury Awards $35 Million to Family of Teen Killed in Farm Accident, Highlighting Urgent Safety Issues

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DUBLIN, Texas — An Erath County jury has awarded nearly $35 million to the family of 19-year-old Jordan Sanchez, who lost his life in a farming accident two years ago while participating in a youth work program. Sanchez died when a front-end loader struck him while he was clearing rocks in a field. After a two-day trial that concluded on April 17, jurors delivered an 11-1 verdict in favor of the Sanchez family, assigning liability to Grass Roots Farming LLC. The award totaled approximately $32 million in damages, along with $2.9 million in prejudgment interest … Read more

Oregon Man Wins $208,000 in Discrimination Case Against Farm Preferring Foreign Workers

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Madras, Oregon – A local resident was awarded almost $208,000 this February after a federal jury concluded that an organic vegetable farm illegally favored foreign workers over him because of his nationality. Virgilio Carvajal, 61, a U.S. citizen since 2013, sought employment with Cal Farms in 2019 and 2020 but was repeatedly overlooked in favor of workers from abroad. Cal Farms, like many U.S. agricultural operations, utilized the H-2A visa program which permits the hiring of foreign labor when suitable local workers are supposedly unavailable. This federal program mandates that farms make genuine efforts to … Read more

Environmental Groups Take USDA to Court Over Removal of Climate Resources and Non-Payment of Farm Grants

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New York, NY — Environmental and agricultural organizations have initiated a legal battle against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), alleging that the department has illegally scrubbed climate change-related content from its websites and has ceased distributing allocated grant funds to farmers. Leading this charge are the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Environmental Working Group, all of which claim that these actions infringe upon several federal laws. The lawsuit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, critiques the USDA for … Read more

Farm Bureau’s Choice: Brad Schimel Endorsed for Wisconsin Supreme Court by Key Agricultural Committee

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MADISON, Wis. – The political action committee of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Volunteers for Agriculture (VFA), officially voiced their support for Judge Brad Schimel’s candidacy for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. Schimel, who previously served as Wisconsin Attorney General, has been recognized for his extensive legal background and his deep understanding of agricultural issues in the state. Austin Vandertie, a Door County Farm Bureau member and chair of the VFA, emphasized that Schimel’s robust legal acumen and his nuanced grasp of challenges faced by Wisconsin farmers make him an ideal candidate for the bench. … Read more