June 11, 2020
Update on COVID-19 and agricultural law covered in June 17 webinar
By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts:
- National Agricultural Law Center webinar to provide an agricultural law update in regard to COVID-19 impacts
- Webinar is June 17 at noon-1 p.m. EDT
- Register online at: https://bit.ly/2XuKFeM
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In a field already disrupted by weather disasters, depressed commodity prices and trade disputes, COVID-19 has proved to be yet another obstacle for those in agriculture.
Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, said farming and its attendant industries have suffered under the pandemic in ways that are both unique to the sector, and shared across society.
“Since March, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the nation’s agricultural sector,” Pittman said. “Although COVID-19 may seem like old news, the agriculture industry is still feeling its impacts.”
Those impacts will be discussed in a free webinar hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center on June 17 at noon EDT/11 a.m. CDT.
Among the COVID-related issues facing agriculture is an April 28 presidential executive order to keep meat and poultry processing plants open during the pandemic. Following that order, the Protecting Protein Production and Consumers Access Act was proposed, offering companies protection from liability issues that could arise from employees contracting COVID-19. Several states have already proposed or enacted liability protection statutes that could have implications for agriculture.
Between these proposals, executive orders and government relief plans, there have been a number of developments affecting the agricultural sector.
“This webinar will take a look at these federal and state developments, and assess what they could mean for the future of ag,” Pittman said.
Participation in the webinar is free, but registration is required. To register, visit https://bit.ly/2XuKFeM.
For more information on the National Agricultural Law Center, visit https://nationalaglawcenter.org/ or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The Center works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The Center is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact 479-575-4607 as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact:
Sarah Cato
National Agricultural Law Center
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
sscato@uark.edu
870-815-9035