Case Law Index
Biosecurity
January 1, 2002 - March 1, 2011
This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving Biosecurity 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.
The "Text" link goes to the freely available Google Scholar text of the opinion; the "Summary" link goes to a summary of the opinion written by the National Agricultural Law Center staff.
FIRST CIRCUIT
United States v. Donahoe, 380 F. Supp.2d 1 (D. ME 2005) (compelled disclosure of the importation of illegal biological materials) Text | Summary
U.S. Public Interest Research Group v. Atlantic Salmon of Maine, LLC., 257 F.Supp.2d 407 (D. Me. 2003) (environmental suit about waste in streams) Text
SECOND CIRCUIT
Natural Res. Defense Council v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 613 F.3d 76 (2nd Cir. 2010) (dismissal of allegation that USDA regulation of pest-ridden packing material burdened international trade) Text
Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 2007 WL 1610420 (S.D.N.Y. 2007) (importation of wood containing pests) Text
AG-Innovations, Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 2006 WL 462580 (D. Vt. 2006) (sheep infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy)
AG-Innovations, Inv. v. U.S. Dept. of Agric., 95 F.App'x 384 (2d Cir. 2004) (sheep infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy)
Baur v. Veneman, 352 F.3d 625 (2d Cir. 2003) (suit to ban the slaughter of downer livestock) Text
United States v. Blue Ribbon Smoked Fish, Inc., 56 F.App'x 542 (2d Cir. 2003) (injunction against processing fish because of listeria)
THIRD CIRCUIT
Solae, Inc. v. Hershey Canada, Inc., 557 F.Supp.2d 452 (D. Del. 2008) (soy lecithin allegedly contaminated with Salmonella) Text
Moyer Packing Co. v. United States, 2008 WL 2697330 (E.D. Pa. 2008) (claim against U.S. for faulty inspection of meat) Text
Travelers Indem. Co. v. Dammann & Co., Inc., 2008 WL 370914 (D.N.J. 2008) (vanilla beans contaminated with mercury) Text
Drayton v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 472 F.Supp.2d 638 (E.D. Pa. 2006) (suit over listeria found in poultry) Text
Reichley v. Penn. Dep't of Agric., 427 F.3d. 236 (3rd. Cir. 2005) (destroying diseased livestock) Text | Summary
Drayton v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 2004 WL 765123 (E.D. Pa. 2004) (suit over listeria found in poultry) Text
Tittensor v. County of Montgomery, 2003 WL 22358450 (E.D. Pa. 2003) (government liability of E. coli at a petting zoo)
Intercitrus, Ibertrade Commercial Corp. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 2002 WL 1870467 (E.D. Pa. 2002) (suspending importation of Spanish clementines)
FOURTH CIRCUIT
In re Peanut Corp. of Am., No. 6:10-cv-00027, 2010 WL 3463214 (W.D. Va. Sept. 1, 2010) (disbursement of claims following wide-spread salmonella poisoning)
Md. & Va. Milk Producers Coop. Ass'n, Inc. v. Crowell Farms, Inc., 102 F.App'x 267 (4th Cir. 2004) (antibiotics contaminating raw milk)
FIFTH CIRCUIT
In re Supreme Beef Processors, Inc., 468 F.3d 248 (5th Cir. 2006) (HACCP standards that are unmet) Text
SIXTH CIRCUIT
N. Am. Deer Farmers Ass'n v. Gassett, No. 3:08-04-DCR, 2008 WL 4148907 (E.D. Ky. Sept. 2, 2008) (statute to prevent chronic wasting disease) Text | Summary
Smith v. Harrison, 2008 WL 2713713 (E.D. Tenn. 2008) (alleged e. coli. contamination of meat) Text
Lacy v. U.S. Dep't. of Agric., 2008 WL 2178099 (6th Cir. 2008) (violation of the HPA because of West Nile Virus)
Dailey v. Veneman, 2002 WL 31780191 (6th Cir. 2002) (interstate commerce of state-inspected meat)
SEVENTH CIRCUIT
Campbell v. Supervalu, Inc., 565 F.Supp.2d 969 (N.D. Ind. 2008) (alleged contamination of ground beef) Text
Campbell v. Supervalu, 2007 WL 891682 (N.D. Ind. 2007) (civil suits for E. Coli are not pre-empted by the FMIA) Text
In re StarLink Corn Products Liab. Litig., 212 F.Supp.2d 828 (N.D. Ill. 2002) (unapproved GM corn in the food supply) Text | Summary
In re StarLink Corn Products Liab. Litig., 211 F.Supp.2d 1060 (N.D. Ill. 2002) (unapproved GM corn in the food supply) Text
EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund v. Sebelius, No. C 10-4018-MWB, 2010 WL 3304204 (N.D. Iowa Aug. 18, 2010) (challenge to FDA regulations of milk sold in interstate commerce) Text
Schwartz v. Bayer CropScience, LP, 718 F.Supp.2d 950 (E.D. Ark. 2010) (contaminating non-GM rice with GM rice) Text
Save Lake Superior Ass'n v. Napolitano, No. 08-CV-1173 (JMR/RLE), 2009 WL 690089 (D. Minn. Mar. 12, 2009) (challenging order to prevent movement of fish under AHPA) Summary
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 566 F.Supp.2d 955 (D. S.D. 2008) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE)
Hutchen v. Wal-Mart Stores East I, LP, 2008 WL 1732938 (E.D. Mo. 2008) (E. Coli in spinach) Text
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 2008 WL 413728 (D. S.D. 2008) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
In re Genetically Modified Rice Litig., 2007 WL 3027581 (E.D. Mo. 2007) (GM rice in the food chain)
Willman v. Riceland Foods, Inc., 630 F.Supp.2d 999 (E.D. Ark. 2007) (GM rice in the food chain) Text
United States v. 8,800 Pounds of Powdered Egg White, 2007 WL 2955571 (E.D. Mo. 2007) (importation of eggs without a permit) Text
Barnes v. United States, 448 F.3d 1065 (8th Cir. 2006) (negligent inspection of poultry plant) Text
Neb. Beef, Ltd. v. Greening, 398 F.3d 1080 (8th Cir. 2005) (suit challenging a comprehensive new regulatory scheme for meat inspection) Text
Behrens v. United Vaccines, Inc., 189 F.Supp.2d 945 (D. Minn. 2002) (canine vaccines and warranties) Text
NINTH CIRCUIT
Paramount Farms, Inc. v. Vintelex B.V., No. CV F 09-1027 LJO SKO, 2010 WL 3341894 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 23, 2010) (pasteurization of almonds)
Ctr. For Food Safety v. Johanns, 2007 WL 3072860 (D. Haw. 2007) (approval of GMO crops without an environmental impact study)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 499 F.3d 1108 (9th Cir. 2007) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, 2007 WL 1839894 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (motion to amend judgment in roundup ready alfalfa)
Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, 2007 WL 1302981 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (motion to modify injunction in roundup ready alfalfa) Text
Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, 2007 WL 776146 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (preliminary injunction order in roundup ready alfalfa)
Geertson Seed Farms v. Johanns, 2007 WL 518624 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (motion on summary judgment in roundup ready alfalfa) Summary
Allflex USA, Inc. v. Avid Identification Sys., Inc., 2007 WL 2701331 (C.D. Cal. 2007) (RFID chips)
Geertson Farms, Inc. v. Johanns, 439 F.Supp.2d 1012 (N.D. Cal. 2006) (motion to dismiss in roundup ready alfalfa) Text | Summary
Cactus Corner, LLC. v. United States Dep't of Agric., 450 F.3d 428 (9th Cir. 2006) (APHIS and mandatory risk analysis) Text | Summary
Ranchers Cattleman Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. Johanns, 415 F.3d 1078 (9th Cir. 2005) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text | Summary
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. Johanns, 143 F.App'x 751 (9th Cir. 2005) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE)
Cal. Avocado Com'n. v. Johanns, 2005 WL 1344203 (E.D. Cal. 2005) (lifting the quarantine on Mexican avocados)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 2004 WL 1047837 (D. Mont. 2004) (imports of Canadian beef and BSE) Text
TENTH CIRCUIT
Wyoming v. United States, 279 F.3d 1214 (10th Cir. 2002) (vaccinating elk on National Elk Range) Text
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
In re ConAgra Peanut Butter Products Liab. Litig., 2008 WL 2132233 (N.D. Ga. 2008) (Salmonella contamination of peanut butter)
IBP, Inc. v. Hady Enterprises, Inc., 267 F.Supp.2d 1148 (N.D. Fla. 2002) (importation of unauthorized meat) Text
D.C. CIRCUIT
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, L.L.C. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 539 F.3d 492 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (denial of mad cow testing for all cattle slaughtered) Text
Hawai'i Orchid Growers Ass'n v. Johanns, 249 F.App'x 204 (D.C. Cir. 2007) (approval of orchids) Summary
Int'l Ctr. for Tech. Assessment v. Johanns, 473 F. Supp. 2d 9 (D.D.C. 2007) (glyphosate-resistant creeping bentgrass) Text | Summary
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, L.L.C. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 517 F.Supp.2d 8 (D.D.C. 2007) (self-testing for BSE) Text
Munsell v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 435 F.Supp.2d 149 (D.D.C. 2006) (claim against harsh regulation by meat processor) Text
Nw. Univ. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 403 F.Supp.2d 83 (D.D.C. 2005) (FOIA claim against APHIS) Text
San Juan Audubon Soc'y v. Wildlife Servs., Animal & Plant Health Inspection Serv., 257 F.Supp.2d 133 (D.D.C. 2003) (poison traps and endangered species) Text | Summary
American Fed'n of Gov't Employees, AFL-CIO v. Veneman, 284 F.3d 125 (D.C. Cir. 2002) (modified system of meat inspection) Text
FEDERAL CIRCUIT
Intervet Inc. v. Merial Ltd., 617 F.3d 1282 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (intellectual property dispute regarding pig vaccine) Text
Tex. Bio- & Agro- Defense Consortium v. United States, 87 Fed. Cl. 798 (Fed. Cl. 2009) (challenging site selection for biosecurity facility)
Cebe Farms, Inc. v. United States, 83 Fed. Cl. 491 (Fed. Cl. 2008) (taking of uninfected breeder chickens)
AG-Innovations, Inc. v. United States, 82 Fed.Cl. 69 (Fed. Cl. 2008) (takings suit for sheep with scrapies)
Am. Airlines, Inc. v. United States, 77 Fed. Cl. 672 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (uncollected user fees for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection fee)
Cont'l Airlines, Inc. v. United States, 77 Fed. Cl. 482 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (uncollected user fees for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection fee)
Rose Acre Farms, Inc. v. United States, 2007 WL 5177409 (Fed. Cl. 2007) (taking of allegedly salmonella-infested eggs)
Page v. United States, 50 F.App'x 409 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (ostrich quarantine stations)
COLORADO
Keyah Grande, LLC v. Colo. Dep't of Agric., 159 P.3d 727 (Colo. Ct. App. 2006) (elk herd and chronic wasting disease) Text
FLORIDA
Brown v. Fla. Dep't of Agric. & Consumer Servs., 946 So.2d 646 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2007) (confiscation of cattle by state) Text
G.A. Mack v. Florida Dep't of Agric. & Consumer Servs., 912 So.2d 1274 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2005) (confiscation of orange trees) Text
MICHIGAN
Dep't of Envtl. Quality v. Twp. of Worth, No. 289724, 2010 WL 3238905 (Mich. Ct. App. Aug. 17, 2010) (state is not required to build sanity sewer system after failure) Text
MISSISSIPPI
Slay v. Spell, 882 So.2d 254 (Miss. Ct. App. 2004) (failure of processing plant to screen for E. coli) Text
OHIO
Wygonski v. Medina Cty. Agric. Soc'y., 785 N.E.2d 831 (Ohio C.P. 2002) (E. coli at fairgrounds and government liability) Text
Wygonski v. Medina Cty. Agric. Soc'y., 785 N.E.2d 827 (Ohio C.P. 2002) (E. coli at fairgrounds and government liability) Text
PENNSYLVANIA
Sweeney v. Merrymead Farm, Inc., 799 A.2d 972 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2002) (E. coli at a petting zoo) Text
TENNESSEE
Bean v. Bredesen, 2005 WL 1025767 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005) (banning the private ownership of deer) Text
VIRGINIA
Board of Sup'rs of Rockingham County v. Stickley, 556 S.E.2d 748 (Va. 2002) (game birds and disease) Text
WASHINGTON
Fabrique v. Choice Hotels Intern., Inc., 183 P.3d 1118 (Wash. Ct. App. 2008) (Salmonella poisoning) Text
WISCONSIN
Wilson v. Tuxen, 2008 WL 2097394 (Wis. Ct. App. 2008) (sale of diseased dairy herd) Text
Kautz ex rel. Kautz v. Ozaukee County Agric. Soc'y, 688 N.W.2d 771 (Wis. Ct. App. 2004) (E. coli infection and recreational immunity statute) Text