National Ag Law Center partners with NASDA Foundation on 2025 conferences

“We’re really excited to be able to offer both of these programs again, and especially to continue to grow them by co-hosting with our friends at the NASDA Foundation. It’s an exciting time.” — Harrison Pittman

By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Jan. 20, 2025

Fast facts:

• 2025 Mid-South and Western conferences co-hosted by NALC and the NASDA Foundation
• Registration is open online
• Both programs held in June
• Livestream option available

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Two national agricultural organizations are teaming up in 2025 to provide educational and networking opportunities to the nation’s vast agricultural community.

The National Agricultural Law Center and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation will co-host the 2025 Mid-South and Western Conferences.

The National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, will co-host its two annual conferences with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation, or NASDA Foundation. Registration for both programs, the Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference and the Western Water, Agricultural, and Environmental Law Conference, is now open.

“We’re really excited to be able to offer both of these programs again, and especially to continue to grow them by co-hosting with our friends at the NASDA Foundation. It’s an exciting time,” said NALC Director Harrison Pittman. 

Both the Mid-South and Western main conference programs will be held in June, with a livestream option available. They will also offer continuing legal education credit, as well as continuing education from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

“These conferences are premiere learning and networking opportunities for attorneys, students, and other ag professionals who work throughout the nation’s agricultural community,” Pittman said.

Registration and information for the upcoming NALC conferences, as well as information on past programs, can be found online at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/legaleducation.

12^th Annual Mid-South

The 12^th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference will be held June 5-6 in Memphis, Tennessee. The event kicks off the afternoon of June 5 gathering at the lobby of The Peabody Memphis, followed by the annual “Beer & BBQ” dinner at The Rendezvous on the evening of June 5. The conference program will occur Friday, June 6 at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.  The annual Mid-South online “Early Bird” will be held in May 2025, offering three bonus hours of CLE and CE for those who register by May 13. Agenda, registration, and other conference information is available at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/midsouth2025.

Some session topics and speakers for this year’s Mid-South include:

• Keynote address from Wes Ward, head of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and president of NASDA — May “Early Bird” session
  
  
• Halfway There: Mid-Year Mid-South Review of Legal Developments — May “Early Bird” session
  • Elizabeth Rumley, senior staff attorney, National Agricultural Law Center
  • Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney, National Agricultural Law Center
• Legal Ethics for Ag Industry Professionals: CFIUS, Foreign Ownership and National Security
  • Asa Hutchinson, former head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security undersecretary, Arkansas governor and U.S. attorney
• Update from the Potomac: Farm Bill, EPA, & Related Issues
  • Fitz Elder, Republican staff director, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry at the United States Senate
• Shifting Sands: Agency Authority, Ag, & Food in a Post-Chevron World
  • Grant Ballard, partner, Ark Ag Law
  • John Dillard, principal, Olsson Frank Weeda

“Both the main conference and ‘Early Bird’ programs for our 12^th Mid-South feature top-notch presenters from across the industry,” said Pittman. “These are folks deeply ingrained in agriculture. They know what topics are important to stakeholders throughout the region and beyond.”

3^rd Annual Western

The 3^rd Annual Western Water, Ag, and Environmental Law Conference will be held June 19-20 in Reno, Nevada, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. The Western conference focuses on legal and policy issues directly relevant to the ag and food industry in Western states. Registration is available at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/western2025.

“Issues impacting Western U.S. agriculture have significant influence for the entire country’s ag community,” said Pittman. “There is a lot that’s at play in the West. We’re excited to head back to Reno to connect with and learn from these talented presenters.”

Some session topics and speakers at this year’s Western include:

• Fourth Amendment and Agriculture: Warrantless Access to Ag & Private Rural Lands
  • Robert Frommer, senior attorney, Institute for Justice
  • Joshua Windham, senior attorney, Institute for Justice
• Western Water, Ag, & Food: Perspectives from State Departments of Agriculture
  • J. Goicoechea, director, Nevada Department of Agriculture
  • Christy Clark, director, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and president, Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture
  • Jeff Witte, director/secretary, New Mexico Department of Agriculture
  • Wes Ward — moderator — secretary, Arkansas Department of Agriculture and president, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
• WOTUS & Water Quality in the West in a Post-Sackett World
  • Theresa Dunham, partner, Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP
• Federal-Private Split Estate: Considerations for Living and Operating on Stock-Raising Homestead Act Lands
  • Katie Devries Riker, associate, Holland & Hart

For more information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. Subscribe online to receive NALC Communications, including webinar announcements, the NALC’s Quarterly Newsletter, and The Feed.

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. 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 three campuses.  

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Media contact:
Drew Viguet      
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu