Your animals and farm products are your livelihood. But a single neighbor complaint about what annoys them about your animals or farming practices can turn a routine day into a legal fight: a call about odors from a pig pen, a noise complaint about barking livestock guard dogs, or dust from farming activities. In many […]
State Laws and Regulations
The Unconstitutional Chicken Ordinance
In October of 2024, one of our members reached out for help with a zoning notice she’d received from her Michigan city. The notice claimed she’d been raising chickens without a permit, violating the city’s chicken ordinance. The notice called for Kathy to remove her chickens from her property. The thing is, Kathy had a […]
U.S. Companies No Longer Required to File BOI Reports with FinCEN
*This is not legal advice. This is general information to educate about the upcoming CTA requirements. As of March 21, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has released an interim final rule stating that U.S. companies and U.S. persons are no longer required to file a beneficial ownership information (BOI) report under the Corporate […]
UPDATE: USDA-APHIS Order Unlikely to Include Federal Testing of Raw Milk for Human Consumption; State Testing Still May Occur
FTCLDF reported on the December 6, 2024 that USDA APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) issued and order that would apply to raw milk producers providing wholesome, raw milk for human consumption. It is now the understanding of FTCLDF that USDA APHIS will NOT be testing raw milk provided directly to consumers, or intended […]
USDA Announces Testing of Raw Milk
On December 6, 2024, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) announced a new rule authorizing testing of raw milk for the H5N1 virus. The order specifies: “Upon request from APHIS any person responsible for a dairy farm, bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station, or dairy processing facility that sends or […]