Case Law Index
Corporate Farming Laws

January 1915 - March 1, 2011

This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving the Corporate Farming Laws that were decided on or after January 1915. 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.



SUPREME COURT


Asbury Hosp. v. Cass County, 326 U.S. 207 (U.S. 1945) (constitutionality)  Text



FOURTH CIRCUIT


Griffin v. Smithfield Foods, Inc., 183 F.Supp. 2d 824 (E.D. Va. 2002)  Text



EIGHTH CIRCUIT


Jones v. Gale, 470 F.3d 1261 (8th Cir. 2006)  Text

Jones v. Gale, 405 F.Supp. 2d 1066 (D.Neb. 2005) (constitutionality)  Text   |    Summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. v. Miller, 367 F.3d 1061 (8th Cir. 2004) (constitutionality)  Text   |    Summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. v. Miller, 241 F.Supp. 2d 978 (S.D. Iowa 2003) (constitutionality)  Text   |    Summary

South Dakota Farm Bureau, Inc. v. Hazeltine, 340 F.3d 583 (8th Cir. 2003) (constitutionality)  Text   |    Summary

South Dakota Farm Bureau, Inc. v. Hazeltine, 202 F.Supp. 2d 1020 (D.S.D. 2002)  Text

MSM Farms, Inc. v. Spire, 927 F.2d 330 (8th Cir. 1991) (constitutionality)  Text



TENTH CIRCUIT


Simler v. Wilson, 210 F.2d 99 (10th Cir. 1953) (prohibition against accepting, receiving and owning realty by religious corporation)   Text

Bailey v. Banister, 200 F.2d 683 (10th Cir. 1952) (action against railway company for bidding for Indian's land)   Text

State of Okl. ex rel. McVey v. Magnolia Petroleum Co., 114 F.2d 111 (10th Cir. 1940) (State's action to escheat lands)   Text

Knoell v. Frisco Lease, 78 F.2d 286 (10th Cir. 1935) (limitations on the quantity of land which a railroad corporation may own)  Text



KANSAS


T-Bone Feeders, Inc. v. Martin, 693 P.2d 1187 (Kan. 1985) (distinction between a feedlot and a farming operation)  Text



MINNESOTA


Minnwest Bank, M.V. v. Molenaar, No. A05-1161, 2006 WL 1390323 (Minn. App. May 23, 2006)  Text

R.L. Hexum & Associates, Inc. v. Rochester Twp., Bd. of Sup'rs, 609 N.W.2d 271 (Minn. Ct. App. 2000) (applicability of corporate and partnership farming law)   Text

Wacek v. Vavricka, C8-95-459, 1995 WL 538664 (Minn. Ct. App. Sept. 12, 1995) (failure to extend the right of first refusal prior to the sale)

Seehusen v. First Am. Bank & Trust of Willmar, C3-94-2609, 1995 WL 365360 (Minn. Ct. App. June 20, 1995) (failure to extend the right of first refusal after foreclosure)

Peterson v. Island, C4-94-2425, 1995 WL 118895 (Minn. Ct. App. Mar. 21, 1995) (interference with a land purchase, the right of first refusal)

Hommerding v. Travelers Ins. Co., C6-94-1843, 1995 WL 6438 (Minn. Ct. App. Jan. 10, 1995) (claim of statutory violations, fraud and negligence)

Kjesbo v. Ricks, 517 N.W.2d 585 (Minn. 1994) (foreclosure, statutory first right of refusal)   Text

Farm Credit Bank of St. Paul v. Michels, 513 N.W.2d 7 (Minn. Ct. App. 1994) (right of first refusal, "immediately preceding former owners")  Text

Resolution Trust Corp. v. Lipton, 983 F.2d 901 (8th Cir. 1993) (partnership was not "family farm," and thus was not qualified debtor)   Text

Wenner v. Farm Credit Bank of St. Paul, 505 N.W.2d 645 (Minn. Ct. App. 1993) (applicabilty of corporate farming law, violation of the rights of first refusal)   Text

Lilyerd v. Carlson, 499 N.W.2d 803 (Minn. 1993) (immediately preceding former owner selling the property to a third party)   Text

Boerboom v. Travelers Ins. Co., CX-92-2456, 1993 WL 152300 (Minn. Ct. App. May 11, 1993) (right of first purchase)

Elfering v. Schleusner, C6-92-1529, 1993 WL 4119 (Minn. Ct. App. Jan. 12, 1993) (right of first refusal)

Schwarz v. Farm Credit Services, Inc., CX-91-1720, 1992 WL 55061 (Minn. Ct. App. Mar. 24, 1992) (breach of contract, waiver of statutory right of first refusal)

Ludowese v. Redmann, 479 N.W.2d 59 (Minn. Ct. App. 1991) (immediately preceding former owner's right of first refusal)   Text

Buer v. Atwater State Bank, 477 N.W.2d 782 (Minn. Ct. App. 1991) (right of first refusal, "immediately preceding former owners")  Text

Elfering v. Schleusner, C5-90-2585, 1991 WL 85281 (Minn. Ct. App. May 28, 1991) (statutory prohibition of sale after exercise of right of first refusal)

Schumacher v. Ihrke, 469 N.W.2d 329 (Minn. Ct. App. 1991) (tortious interference with contract, former owner's right of first refusal)   Text

In re Solberg, 125 B.R. 1010 (Bankr. D. Minn. 1991) (right of first refusal when creditor attempts to sell foreclosed-upon property)  Text

Farm Credit Bank of St. Paul v. Bahr, C7-90-1826, 1991 WL 38183 (Minn. Ct. App. Mar. 26, 1991) (right of first refusal for agricultural property)

Crowell v. Delafield Farmers Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 463 N.W.2d 737 (Minn. 1990) (insurable interest in the farmhouse, right of first refusal)  Text

Sands v. Prod. Credit Ass'n of Fairmont, C9-90-1116, 1990 WL 157496 (Minn. Ct. App. Oct. 23, 1990) (rights of first refusal for redemption by a junior creditor)

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Preston v. Junge, 458 N.W.2d 698 (Minn. Ct. App. 1990) (immediately preceding former owner's right of first refusal)   Text

Travelers Ins. Co. v. Horseshoe Lake Farms, Inc., 456 N.W.2d 453 (Minn. Ct. App. 1990) (immediately preceding former owner's right of first refusal)  Text

Crowell v. Delafield Farmers Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 453 N.W.2d 724 (Minn. Ct. App. 1990) (insurable interest in the farmhouse, right of first refusal)  Text

Carlson v. Lilyerd, 449 N.W.2d 185 (Minn. Ct. App. 1989) (right of first refusal, "immediately preceding former owners")   Text

Harbal v. Fed. Land Bank of St. Paul, 449 N.W.2d 442 (Minn. Ct. App. 1989) (violation of statutory right of first refusal)  Text

Rushford State Bank v. Kjos, 445 N.W.2d 846 (Minn. Ct. App. 1989) (former owner's right of first refusal after foreclosure of farm)   Text

Ward v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., C9-89-784, 1989 WL 98704 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 29, 1989) (required offer to lease to the former owner)

Fed. Land Bank of Saint Paul By & Through Fed. Land Bank Ass'n of Mankato v. Wessels, C7-88-2233, 1989 WL 38400 (Minn. Ct. App. Apr. 25, 1989) (foreclosure, "family farm")

Coolidge v. First Am. State Bank of Sargeant, C0-88-2316, 1989 WL 29537 (Minn. Ct. App. Apr. 4, 1989) (required offer to lease to the former owner)

Travelers Ins. Co. v. Norwest Bank of Rochester N.A., 706 F. Supp. 695 (D. Minn. 1989) (financial institution as an immediately preceding former owner, right of first refusal)  Text

Travelers Ins. Co. v. Tufte, 435 N.W.2d 824 (Minn. Ct. App. 1989) (statutory notice requirement to offer the previous owner to purchase the land)  Text

Greenhoff v. Fed. Land Bank of St. Paul by Fed. Land Bank Ass'n of S. W. Minnesota, C6-88-991, 1988 WL 134808 (Minn. Ct. App. Dec. 20, 1988) (requirement to offer the previous owner to purchase the land)

Fed. Land Bank of St. Paul v. Obermoller, 429 N.W.2d 251 (Minn. Ct. App. 1988) (foreclosure, right of first refusal)  Text

Estate of Smith v. Fed. Land Bank of St. Paul, 424 N.W.2d 312 (Minn. Ct. App. 1988) (right to receive an offer to purchase agricultural land)  Text

First Nat. Bank of Cold Spring v. Moeller, C0-87-2144, 1988 WL 53117 (Minn. Ct. App. May 31, 1988) (bankruptcy, right of first refusal)

Leckband v. Naylor, 715 F. Supp. 1451 (D. Minn. 1988) (foreclosure, right of first refusal)   Text

Krueger v. Washington Fed. Sav. Bank of Montevideo, 406 N.W.2d 543 (Minn. Ct. App. 1987) (authorized farm corporation)  Text

Cargill, Inc. v. Hedge, 375 N.W.2d 477 (Minn. 1985) (homestead exemption, family farm corporation)  Text

Cargill, Inc. v. Hedge, 358 N.W.2d 490 (Minn. Ct. App. 1984) (homestead exemption, family farm corporation)  Text

N. States Power Co. v. Williams, 343 N.W.2d 627 (Minn. 1984) (whether Christmas tree producers are protected under Corporate Farming Act)  Text

John W. Swenson & Sons, Inc. v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 571 F. Supp. 895 (D. Minn. 1983) (considering public policy in favor of family farms)  Text



MISSOURI


State ex rel. Nixon v. Premium Standard Farms, Inc., 100 S.W.3d 157 (Mo. App. 2003)  Text

Neighbors Against Large Swine Operations v. Cont'l Grain Co., 901 S.W.2d 127 (Mo. Ct. App. 1995) (violation of Farming Corporations Act, private right of action)  Text

State ex rel. Webster v. Lehndorff Geneva, Inc., 744 S.W.2d 801 (Mo. 1988) (requiring foreign corporation to divest itself of in state farmland)  Text



NEBRASKA


Hall v. Progress Pig, Inc., 610 N.W.2d 420 (Neb. 2000) (citizens' action to enjoin corporate pork producer's operation)  Text

Hall v. Progress Pig, Inc., 575 N.W.2d 369 (Neb. 1998) (citizens' action to enjoin corporate pork producer's operation)  Text

US Ecology, Inc. v. Boyd County Bd. of Equalization, 578 N.W.2d 877 (Neb. Ct. App. 1998) (classifying property as agricultural, constitutional prohibitons)  Text

Pig Pro Nonstock Co-op. v. Moore, 568 N.W.2d 217 (Neb. 1997) (whether the company is "nonprofit")  Text

Omaha Nat'l Bank v. Spire, 389 N.W.2d 269 (Neb. 1986) (constitutionality)  Text



NORTH DAKOTA


Stenehjem ex rel., North Dakota v. Crosslands, Inc., 782 N.W.2d 632 (N.D. 2010) (evaluation of land for purposes of the corporate farming statute)  Text

Stenehjem ex rel., North Dakota v. Crosslands, Inc., No. 20-05-C-002 (N.D. Dist. Ct. June 5, 2009) (upholding state corporate farming law against constitutional challenges). Click here for the full text of the unreported decision.

Tibert v. Slominski, 692 N.W.2d 133 (N.D. 2005) (nuisance claims barred by right to farm against grain elevator)  Text   |    Summary

State v. Liberty Nat. Bank & Trust Co., 427 N.W.2d 307 (N.D. 1988) (State's divestiture action against corporaton)  Text

Lang v. Bank of Steele, 415 N.W.2d 787 (N.D. 1987) (purchase of sheriff's certificate of sale of farm by corporate creditor)  Text

State v. J.P. Lamb Land Co., 401 N.W.2d 713 (N.D. 1987) (State's action to prohibit corporation from continuing to operate corporate farm)  Text

State v. J.P. Lamb Land Co., 359 N.W.2d 368 (N.D. 1984) (State's divestiture action against corporaton)  Text

Coal Harbor Stock Farm, Inc. v. Meier, 191 N.W.2d 583 (N.D. 1971) (certificate of incorporation for purpose of engaging in business of farming)  Text

Asbury Hosp. v. Cass Cty., 16 N.W.2d 523 (N.D. 1944) (applicability of corporate farming laws to non-profit corporation)

Asbury Hosp. v. Cass Cty., 7 N.W.2d 438 (N.D. 1943) (applicability of corporate farming laws to non-profit corporation)



OKLAHOMA


State ex rel. Cartwright v. Hillcrest Investments, Ltd., 630 P.3d 1253 (Okla. 1981) (action of escheat of land owned by Canadian corporation)  Text

Thomas v. Oklahoma Natural Gas Co., 527 P.2d 856 (Okla. Ct. App. 1974)(whether public service corporation could acquire land)  Text

Barton v. Baptist Gen. Convention, 477 P.2d 679 (Okla. 1970) (obtaining land necessary to the corporate charitable function)  Text

Oklahoma Land & Cattle Co. v. State ex rel. Mattingly, 456 P.2d 544 (Okla. 1969) (violation of constitutional prohibition)  Text

LeForce v. Bullard, 454 P.2d 297 (Okla. 1969) (right of a corporation to acquire and hold land "necessary and proper" for carrying on the business)   Text

St. Louis-San Francisco Ry. Co. v. Humphrey, 446 P.2d 271 (Okla. 1968) (railroad corporations' power to acquire title to land for the purpose of a right of way)  Text

Johnstone v. Patterson, 418 P.2d 656 (Okla. 1966) (ability of eleemosynary corporation to take title to rural lands)  Text

State ex rel. Reidy v. Int'l Paper Co., 342 P.2d 565 (Okla. 1959) (corporation unlawfully holding real property in violation of constitution)   Text

U. S. Gypsum Co. v. State ex rel. Rutherford, 328 P.2d 431 (Okla. 1958) (corporation holding rural lands not proper and necessary for the its business)  Text

Goss & Hamlyn Home v. State ex rel. Mills, 285 P.2d 428 (Okla. 1955) (corporation unlawfully holding land acquired by foreclosure for more than seven years)  Text

State ex rel. Combs v. Hopping Inv. Co., 269 P.2d 997 (Okla. 1954) (corporation holding real property for a period in excess of seven years)   Text

French v. Ayres, 207 P.2d 308 (Okla. 1949) (restriction on purchases of land by corporations)

Illinois Bankers Life Assur. Co. v. State ex rel. Cline, 192 P.2d 678 (Okla. 1947) (State's action to recover statutory penalties for owning and holding real estate)

Texas Co. v. State, 180 P.2d 631 (Okla. 1947) (State's action to escheat lands)

Cent. Life Assur. Soc. v. State ex rel. Frittz, 131 P.2d 110 (Okla. 1942) (State's action to collect statutory penalty for holding realty in excess of seven years)

Stinson v. Oklahoma Ry. Co., 126 P.2d 260 (Okla. 1942) (alleged wrongful occupancy of realty)

Oklahoma Natural Gas Co. v. State ex rel. Vassar, 101 P.2d 793 (Okla. 1940) (ability of public service corporations to hold a land)

Wilber State Bank v. State, 83 P.2d 805 (Okla. 1938) (corporation unlawfully holding land acquired by foreclosure for more than seven years)

John Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. State ex rel. Stanfield, 82 P.2d 808 (Okla. 1938) (land owned for more than seven years after foreclosure of a mortgage on land)

Cumbey v. Urschel, 42 P.2d 902 (Okla. 1935) (railroad corporations' power to purchase title to land for railroad purposes)

Oklahoma City v. Dobbins, 44 P.2d 148 (Okla. 1935) (railroad corporations' power to hold title to land for the purpose of a right of way)

Marland v. Gillespie, 33 P.2d 207 (Okla. 1934) (railroad corporations' power to purchase title to land for railroad purposes)

Wolfe v. State, 21 P.2d 1067 (Okla. 1933) (arguing State's action to escheat lands)

Brown v. Capps, 22 P.2d 1008 (Okla. 1933) (the question of the constitutional inhibition could only be raised by the state)

Colcord v. Granzow, 278 P. 654 (Okla. 1928) (powers of town-site companies)

State v. Benevolent Invest. & Relief Ass'n, 232 P. 35 (Okla. 1924) (State's action to escheat lands)

McCray v. Miller, 184 P. 781 (Okla. 1919) (corporation acquiring a lease to prospect land for oil and gas)

Parwal Inv. Co. v. State, 175 P. 514 (Okla. 1918) (arguing State's action of escheat of land held by corporations in violation of Constitution)

State v. Prairie Oil & Gas Co., 167 P. 756 (Okla. 1917) (State's action to escheat real property of the corporation)

Local Inv. Co. v. Humes, 151 P. 878 (Okla. 1915) (corporations' right to take mortgages on real estate to secure loans or debts)



SOUTH DAKOTA


Thares v. Brown County Bd. of Equalization, 616 N.W.2d 380 (S.D. 2000) (evaluation of land for purposes of the corporate farming statute)  Text

Allegheny Corp., Inc. v. Richardson, Inc., 463 N.W.2d 678 (S.D. 1990) (prohibiting "foreign corporations" from owning agricultural land)  Text

In re Sheehan, 58 B.R. 304 (Bankr. D.S.D. 1986) (insurance company exercising control over debtors' farmland)  Text

Stahn v. Fairmont Nat. Bank, 367 N.W.2d 784 (S.D. 1985) (exemption for bank purchasing property at foreclosure sale)  Text







 

This material is based on work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Agreement No. 59-8201-9-115. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The National Agricultural Law Center is a federally funded research institution located at the University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville.

Web site: www.NationalAgLawCenter.org | Phone: (479)575-7646 | Email: NatAgLaw@uark.edu