Case Law Index
National Organic Program

January 1, 2000 - February 1, 2011

This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving the National Organic Program that were decided on or after January 1, 2000. 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

Geertson Farms, Inc. v. Johanns, 130 S.Ct. 2743 (2010) (enjoining partial deregulation was an abuse of discretion)  Text

FIRST CIRCUIT

Harvey v. Johanns, 494 F.3d 237 (1st Cir. 2007) (use of synthetic ingredients in processing organic foods)  Text

Mass. Indep. Certification, Inc. v. Johanns, 486 F.Supp. 2d 105 (D.Mass. 2007) (callenge to NOP certification requirements)  Text    |    Summary

Harvey v. Johanns, 462 F.Supp. 2d 69 (D.Me. 2006) (post-amendment utility of consent decree)  Text    |    Summary

Harvey v. Veneman, 396 F.3d 28 (1st Cir. 2005) (consistency of Act and final rule)  Text    |    Summary

Harvey v. Veneman, 222 F.R.D. 213 (D.Me. 2004) (parties' proposed intervention in challenge to NOP)  Text    |    Summary

Harvey v. Veneman, 297 F.Supp. 2d 334 (D.Me. 2004) (consistency of Act and final rule)  Text    |    Summary

Harvey v. Veneman, No. Civ. 02-216-P-H, 2003 WL 22327171 (D.Me. Oct. 10, 2003) (Magistrate's Decision - consistency of Act and final rule)    Summary

THIRD CIRCUIT

Hickerson v. N.J., No. 08-1033 (AET), 2009 WL 3296529 (D. N.J. Oct. 13, 2009) (deprivation of property rights)  Text

SIXTH CIRCUIT

Int'l Dairy Foods Ass'n v. Boggs, 622 F.3d 628 (6th Cir. 2010), aff'g in part and rev'g in part, Nos. 2:08-CV-628, 2:08-CV-629, 2009 WL 937045 (S.D. Ohio Apr. 2, 2009) (preemption; state labeling laws regarding use of rbST)  Text

SEVENTH CIRCUIT

Cornucopia Inst. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., No. 06-C-0182-C, 2007 WL 5414894 (W.D. Wis. Feb. 21, 2007) (production of documents, attorney's fees under the Freedom of Information Act)

EIGHTH CIRCUIT

In re Aurora Dairy Corp. Organic Milk Mktg. and Sales Practice Litig., 621 F.3d 781 (8th Cir. Sept. 2010), aff'g in part and rev'g in part, 2009 WL 1576928 (E.D. Mo. June 3, 2009) (preemption provision in Organic Foods Production Act)  Text

NINTH CIRCUIT

All One God Faith, Inc. v. Hain Celestial Group, Inc., No. C09-03517 JF (HRL), 2010 WL 2133209 (N.D.Cal. May 24, 2010) (jurisdiction)

All One God Faith, Inc. v. Hain Celestial Group, Inc., No. C 09-03517 JF (HRL), 2009 WL 4907433 (N.D. Cal. Dec. 14, 2009) (claim that products do not meet the NOP standards)

Geertson Seed Farms v. Johanns, 570 F.3d 1130 (9th Cir. 2009) (upholding injunction for not complying with NEPA)  Text

Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, No. C-06-01075 CRB, 2007 WL 1839894 (N.D. Cal. June 26, 2007) (storage, cleaning, and public disclosure of fields of Roundup Ready alfalfa)

Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, No. C-06-01075 CRB, 2007 WL 1302981 (N.D. Cal. May 3, 2007) (denying reconsideration ordering enjoining APHIS from deregulating Roundup Ready alfalfa)

Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, No C-06-01075 CRB, 2007 WL 776146 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 12, 2007) (granting preliminary injunction to prevent planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa)

Geertson Farms Inc. v. Johanns, No C-06-01075 CRB, 2007 WL 518624 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 13, 2007) (APHIS violated NEPA when deregulating Roundup Ready alfalfa)  Text    |    Summary

D.C. CIRCUIT

Partlo v. Johanns, No. Civ.A.04-1462 CKK, Civ.A.04-1779 CCK, 2006 WL 1663380 (D.D.C. June 11, 2006) (disaster assistance for organic crops)  Text

AGENCY DECISIONS

In re Mass. Indep. Certification, Inc., OFPA Docket No. 03-0001, 2004 WL 909533 (USDA Apr. 27, 2004) (certification challenge)   Summary

CALIFORNIA

Jacobs Farm/Del , Inc. v. W. Farm Serv., Inc., 119 Cal.Rptr.3d 529 (Cal. Ct. App. 2010) (negligence and trespass actions against pesticide applicator by organic farmer)

All One God Faith, Inc. v. Organic and Sustainable Indus. Standards, Inc., 107 Cal.Rptr.3d 861 (N.D. Cal. 2010) (organic certification activities as free speech in connection with a public issue)  Text

Horne v. Global Organics, Ltd., No. F050698, 2007 WL 4157598 (Cal. Ct. App. Nov. 26, 2007) (contractual interpretation of "organic")  Text