Case Law Index
Animal Feeding Operations
January 1, 2002 - July 1, 2008
This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving the Animal Feeding Operations that were decided on or after January 1, 2002. For those cases that have been summarized by the National Agricultural Law Center, a link is provided to the summary. The index will be regularly updated to reflect new judicial developments. The cases are listed in reverse chronological order.
FIRST CIRCUIT
U.S. Public Interest Research Group v. Atlantic Salmon of Maine, 215 F.Supp.2d 239 (D.Me. 2002) (CWA citizen suit against salmon farm)
U.S. Public Interest Research Group c. Stolt Sea Farm, Inc., 2002 WL 240386 (D.Me. 2002) (CWA citizen suit against salmon farm)
U.S. Public Interest Research Group v. Heritage Salmon, Inc., 2002 WL 240440 (D.Me. 2002) (CWA citizen suit against salmon farm)
SECOND CIRCUIT
Waterkeeper Alliance, Inc. v. U.S. E.P.A., 399 F.3d 486 (C.A.2 2005) (challenge to CAFO Act)
Coon v. Willet Dairy, LP, 2007 WL 2071746 (N.D.N.Y. 2007) (CWA and RCRA claims)
THIRD CIRCUIT
Reynolds v. Rick's Mushroom Service, Inc., 246 F.Supp.2d 449 (E.D.Pa. 2003) (waste from mushroom processor)
SIXTH CIRCUIT
Kentucky Waterways Alliance v. Johnson, 426 F.Supp.2d 612 (W.D.Ky. 2006) (EPA sued for approval of state's water quality antidegradation rules)
Johnson County Citizen Committee for Clean Air and Water v. U.S. E.P.A., 2005 WL 2204953 (M.D.Tenn. 2005) (EPA NPDES discretion)
Sierra Club, Inc. v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 299 F.Supp.2d 693 (W.D. Ky. 2003) (definition of "facility" under CERCLA)
SEVENTH CIRCUIT
Test Drilling Service Co. v. Hanor Co., 322 F.Supp.2d 965 (C.D. Ill. 2004) (property damage)
Save The Valley, Inc. v. U.S. E.P.A., 223 F.Supp.2d 997 (S.D.Ind. 2002) (implementation of CWA)
EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy v. U.S. E.P.A, 2005 WL 1490331 (D.Minn. 2005) (challenge to EPA's approval of TMDL levels)
Daniels v. Iowa, 2005 WL 1398498 (S.D.Iowa 2005) (constitutional challenge of DNR regulation)
Furnas County Farms v. Hayes County, 2002 WL 1796511 (D.Neb. 2002) (zoning)
Forrest v. Northland Cas. Co., 213 F.Supp.2d 1023, 1023-24 (W.D. Ark. 2002) (insurance policy dispute)
NINTH CIRCUIT
Ass'n of Irritated Residents v. Fred Schakel Dairy, No. 1:05-CV-00707, 2008 WL 850136 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 28, 2008) (motion to dismiss CAA challenge to dairy)
Or. Natural Desert Ass'n v. U.S. Forest Serv., No. 07-634-AS, 2008 WL 140657 (D. Or. Jan. 10, 2008) (issue and claim preclusion)
Ass'n of Irritated Residents v. C & R Vanderham Dairy, No. 1:05-CV-01593, 2007 WL 2815038 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 25, 2007) (CAA challenge against a dairy)
Coldani v. Hamm, No. Civ S-07-660, 2007 WL 2345016 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 16, 2007) (CWA challenge against a dairy)
Association of Irritated Residents v. Fred Schakel Dairy, 2005 WL 3299508 (E.D.Cal. 2005) (administrative procedures)
Community Ass'n for Restoration of the Environment v. Henry Bosma Dairy, 305 F.3d 943 (C.A.9 (Wash.) 2002) (CWA challenge against dairy farm)
Association to Protect Hammersley, Eld, and Totten Inlets v. Taylor Resources, Inc., 299 F.3d 1007 (C.A.9 (Wash.) 2002) (CWA challenge against shellfish producer)
U.S. v. New Portland Meadows, Inc., 2002 WL 31180956 (D.Or. 2002) (discharge of pollutants from horse racetrack facility)
TENTH CIRCUIT
Kersenbrock v. Stoneman Cattle Co., LLC, 2007 WL 2219288 (D.Kan. 2007) (citizen suit under the CWA)
Sierra Club v. Seaboard Farms Inc., 387 F.3d 1167 (C.A.10 (Okla.),2004) (definition of "facility" under CERCLA)
Sierra Club v. Seaboard Farms, Inc., 2002 WL 32443305 (W.D.Okla. 2002) (CERCLA)
D.C. CIRCUIT
Association of Irritated Residents v. E.P.A., 494 F.3d 1027 (D.C. Cir. 2007) (review of EPA enforcement action)
GEORGIA
Terrell v. Payne, 622 S.E.2d 330 (Ga. 2005) (nuisance)
Payne v. Terrell, 604 S.E.2d 551 (Ga. Ct. App. 2004) (nuisance)
IDAHO
Idaho Conservation League, Inc. v. Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture, 146 P.3d 632 (Idaho 2006) (disclosure of Nutrient Management Plans)
Chisholm v. Twin Falls County, 75 P.3d 185 (Idaho 2003) (zoning)
Scott v. Gooding County, 46 P.3d 23 (Idaho 2002) (zoning)
Gooding County v. Wybenga, 46 P.3d 18 (Idaho 2002) (CAFO ordinance)
ILLINOIS
Rochester Buckhart Action Group v. Young, 887 N.E.2d 49 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008) (definition of "new facility" under state law)
INDIANA
Thomas v. Oolman Dairy, LLC, 858 N.E.2d 256 (Ind. App. 2006) (zoning)
Breitweiser v. Indiana Office of Environmental Adjudication, 810 N.E.2d 699 (Ind. 2004) (administrative procedures)
Breitweiser v. Indiana Office of Environmental Adjudication, 775 N.E.2d 1175 (Ind. App. 2002) (judicial review)
IOWA
Simpson v. Kollasch, 749 N.W.2d 671 (Iowa 2008) (failure to prove anticipatory negligence by neighbors of a hog farm)
Worth County Friends of Agriculture v. Worth County, 688 N.W.2d 257 (Iowa, 2004) (home rule authority)
Gacke v. Pork Xtra, L.L.C., 684 N.W.2d 168 (Iowa 2004) (validity of right to farm law)
Sierra Club v. Wayne Weber, L.L.C., 689 N.W.2d 696 (Iowa 2004) (nuisance action)
KANSAS
David v. Board of Com'rs of Norton County, 89 P.3d 893 (Kan. 2004) (county CAFO law challenged)
MICHIGAN
Sierra Club Mackinac Chapter v. Dept. of Envtl. Quality, 2008 WL 161188 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008) (review of state general CAFO permit)
MINNESOTA
Daley Farms of Lewiston, LLP v. Habben, No. A07-1050, 2008 WL 2105980 (Minn. Ct. App. May 20, 2008) (discovery of defective dairy manure lagoons)
Wakefield Pork, Inc. v. Ram Mut. Ins. Co., 731 N.W.2d 154 (Minn. App. 2007) (odor within pollution exclusion)
Berne Area Alliance for Quality Living v. Dodge County Bd. of Com'rs, 694 N.W.2d 577 (Minn.App. 2005) (Environmental Impact Statement)
Vasgaard v. Murray County Bd. of Com'rs, WL 21962493 (Minn. App. 2003) (challenge to denial of petition for Environmental Assessment Worksheet)
Wendinger v. Forst Farms, Inc., 662 N.W.2d 546 (Minn. App. 2003) (farming operation challenged)
Schwardt v. County of Watonwan, 656 N.W.2d 383, 385-88 (Minn. 2003) (farming permit granted)
MISSISSIPPI
Sierra Club v. Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Bd., 943 So.2d 673 (Miss. 2006) (challenge to issuance of air pollution control permit)
MISSOURI
Shuler v. Premium Standard Farms, Inc., 148 S.W.3d 1 (Mo.App. W.D. 2004) (wrongful discharge)
NEBRASKA
Johnson v. Knox County P'ship, 728 N.W.2d 101 (Neb. 2007) (feedlot as a private nuisance)
D.B. Feedyards, Inc. v. Envtl. Sci., Inc., 745 N.W.2d 593 (Neb. Ct. App. 2008) (breach of environmental consulting service contract)
Hanchera v. Board of Adjustment, 694 N.W.2d 641 (Neb. 2005) (zoning)
Premium Farms v. County of Holt, 640 N.W.2d 633, (Neb. 2002) (county regulatory authority)
OHIO
Meerland Dairy L.L.C. v. Ross Twp., --- N.E.2d ---, 2008 WL 1991886 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008) (city's ability to control CAFOs)
SOUTH DAKOTA
Woodruff v. Bd. of Comm'rs for Hand County, 741 N.W.2d 746 (S.D. 2007) (challenge of AFO zoning ordinance)
Schafer v. Deuel County Bd. of Com'rs, 725 N.W.2d 241 (S.D. 2006) (zoning)
Jensen v. Lincoln County Bd. of Com'rs, 718 N.W.2d 606 (S.D. 2006) (preexisting use)
Bechen v. Moody County Bd. of Com'rs, 703 N.W.2d 662 (S.D. 2005) (zoning)
Elliott v. Board of County Com'rs of Lake County, 703 N.W.2d 361 (S.D. 2005) (zoning)
Hay v. Board of Com'rs for Grant County, 670 N.W.2d 376 (S.D. 2003) (zoning)
In re Yankton County Com'n, 670 N.W.2d 34 (S.D. 2003) (zoning)
Kirschenman v. Hutchinson County Bd. of Com'rs, 656 N.W.2d 330 (S.D. 2003) (zoning)
In re Conditional Use Permit Denied to Meier, 645 N.W.2d 579 (S.D. 2002) (denial of farming permit)
TEXAS
Barrera v. Hondo Creek Cattle Co., 132 S.W.3d 544 (Tex. Ct. App. 2004) (right to farm)
Collins v. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Com'n, 94 S.W.3d 876 (Tex.App.-Austin 2002) (permit to change waste management system challenged)
City of Waco v. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Com'n, 83 S.W.3d 169 (Tex.App.-Austin 2002) (regulation of CAFO permits)
WASHINGTON
Dep't of Ecology v. Douma, No. 35864-6-II, 2008 WL 2503654 (Wash. Ct. App. June 24, 2008) (violation of state clean water act by diary)