Key Legal Cases Impact Machinery, Meatpacking, and Land Use Rights

From meatpacking settlements to landmark NEPA rulings, Roger McEowen outlines the top legal developments in 2025 that will shape agriculture in the years ahead.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The countdown of the “Top 10” agricultural law developments from 2025 continues, highlighting legal issues from property rights to input regulations that could impact farmers and ranchers in the year ahead.

Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report to explain how two antitrust cases and changes to NEPA last year will shape the future of ag policy.

In his interview with RFD NEWS, McEowen discussed antitrust issues in agriculture, including the right-to-repair movement and settlements in the meatpacking industry, noting a shift in 2025 toward market competition and producer autonomy. He also reviewed how the Farm Act built on this momentum.

The conversation then turned to a landmark Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act, with McEowen explaining the decision’s background and significance. He also addressed what the ruling could mean for traditional land-use rights moving forward.

READ MORE: Firm to Farm

Related Stories
Senate Western Caucus Chairman Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming joins us to discuss public lands grazing, New World screwworm response efforts, Western Caucus priorities, and policy supporting the future of rural America.
Home to Reelfoot Lake, Lake County combines fertile farmland with one of Tennessee’s top outdoor destinations.
RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney recaps Farm Credit Canada’s trade forum, Canadian producer sentiment ahead of the USMCA review, and his outlook for U.S.-Canada trade relations.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The FAO report continues to serve as a key benchmark for global food market conditions, offering insight into how shifting supply and demand dynamics are impacting food systems worldwide.
Brazil Potash CEO Matt Simpson discusses global fertilizer security, the importance of domestic production, and Brazil’s push toward fertilizer independence, which could impact market competitiveness.
President Trump’s appearance in Wisconsin coincides with National Dairy Month, placing additional attention on one of the nation’s leading dairy-producing states.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says USDA has been preparing for a New World screwworm outbreak for more than a year as officials expand sterile fly production and containment efforts in Texas.
Markets Analysts and Livestock Experts Say Screwworm Adds Costs for Producers, Not Food Safety Risks
The bovine case was detected in a three-month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas.