National Ag Law Center sets dates for 2025 conferences
The Mid-South and Western conferences will be held in June 2025.
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Oct. 25, 2025
Fast facts:
- Mid-South, Western conferences will be in June 2025
- Topics include solar leasing, water, Fourth Amendment and ag
- Conference information on NALC website
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The National Agricultural Law Center has set the 2025 dates for its conferences providing agricultural and environmental insights for attorneys and those in the industry.
The Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference, which is now in its 12th year, will be held June 5-6 at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in Memphis, Tennessee. The Western Water, Ag, and Environmental Law Conference, now in its third year, will be held June 19-20 at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno, Nevada. Both conferences will also have livestream options.
“These conferences are great networking and learning opportunities,” Harrison Pittman, director of the National Ag Law Center, or NALC, said. “Both have a unique blend of leading experts who deliver practical, relevant information to attorneys, students and other ag industry professionals in attendance.”
Both conferences offer continuing legal education credit, as well as continuing education from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
Pittman emphasized that NALC conferences feature information that is useful to both attorneys and non-attorneys alike.
“We expect a diverse range of attendees, including public and private sector attorneys, students, farmer leaders, water professionals, policymakers and more,” he said. “It’s a pretty fun mix of folks.”
On the agenda
One issue on the agenda for both conferences is the aftermath of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Chevron doctrine. At the Mid-South, Grant Ballard, partner at Ark Ag Law, and John Dillard, principal at OFW Law, will present the session, “Shifting Sands: Agency Authority, Ag, & Food in a Post-Chevron World.”
“The impact of the SCOTUS decision regarding the Chevron doctrine will be felt years down the line,” Pittman said. “Grant and John bring very unique and knowledgeable USDA, EPA and FDA backgrounds to the table.”
Other topics that will be addressed at the Mid-South include solar leases and development, ag land transactions, a mid-year review of legal developments impacting the Mid-South, a federal legislative and regulatory update, and more.
Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward will be the keynote speaker as part of the annual virtual “Early Bird” event held a few days before the in-person meeting in Memphis. The date for the “Early Bird” will be announced soon.
The 2025 Western will feature a panel that discusses the role of state agriculture departments. The panel will be moderated by Ward, who also serves as the 2024-2025 president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and will include Dr. J.J. Goicoechea, director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, and Jeff Witte, director and secretary of agriculture for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.
Other topics at the Western will include water issues, federal legislative updates and two legal ethics sessions. The Institute for Justice’s Robert Frommer and Joshua Windham will present a session on the Fourth Amendment and agriculture, specifically warrantless searches of private lands.
“The issue of warrantless searches of private agricultural and rural lands generates considerable attention nationwide, with unique relevance in western states,” Pittman said. “Robert and Joshua are very good at explaining the issue in a way that is relevant to all attendees.”
Stay tuned
Conference registration will open in January. Updates can be found online on the NALC’s website, as well as X, Facebook and LinkedIn. The NALC also offers email communications regarding webinar announcements, quarterly newsletters, and The Feed newsletter.
“We’re looking forward to seeing everybody again this year, and encourage folks not
able to attend in person to consider the virtual attendance option,” Pittman said.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC 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. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
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 dviguet@uark.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu