Communicating with government agencies: Session at Western conference details ethical considerations
“A key aspect of agriculture in the West — and beyond — is learning to communicate effectively with government agencies.” —Harrison Pittman
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
May 5, 2025
Fast facts:
- Session at annual ag conference will cover communicating with agencies
- The presentation is one of two ethics sessions
- Registration, including livestream option, available online
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Effective communication with government agencies is crucial for agricultural stakeholders — but those interactions come with ethical obligations.
A session at the 3rd Annual Western Water, Agricultural, and Environmental Law Conference will dive into those responsibilities. Lawson Fite, a shareholder at Schwabe, Williamson and Wyatt, P.C., will lead the session, which is one of two ethics sessions at the conference.
The Western conference, hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation, or NASDA Foundation, will be held on June 19-20 in Reno, Nevada, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. It also features a livestream option.
“The Western conference is designed to provide attorneys, students, agricultural producers, and professionals with insight into key legal and policy issues affecting agriculture in the Western United States,” said NALC Director Harrison Pittman. “Lawson brings both legal expertise and practical experience when it comes to navigating agency interaction.”
Fite represents clients in a range of environmental and natural resources issues, including litigation and regulatory matters under the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Policy Act. He previously served as general counsel at the American Forest Resource Council.
“In our field, communicating with government regulators is common,” Fite said. “There are important boundaries to maintain — both in what we say and how we say it. This session will explore those obligations and help practitioners identify and address potential ethical pitfalls.”
In his session, Fite will discuss how to clarify who is being represented in agency communications, understand the nature of government representations, rights to petition, and professional duties owed to non-governmental clients.
The conference features continuing legal education credit, as well as continuing education from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Information and registration is available online at nationalaglawcenter.org/western2025.
“A key aspect of agriculture in the West — and beyond — is learning to communicate effectively with government agencies,” Pittman said. “Attendees will walk away from this session with a better understanding of their ethical responsibilities and how to apply those principles in real-world situations.”
For information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is also 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 NASDA Foundation
The NASDA Foundation is the only educational and research organization that directly serves the nation’s state departments of agriculture. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of the NASDA Foundation is to advance agriculture to shape a changing world.
For more information on the NASDA Foundation, visit nasda.org/nasda-foundation. The NASDA Foundation is also on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu