This introductory textbook provides an overview of the concepts necessary for an understanding of agricultural and agribusiness law. The text will help students of land-based industries with little or no legal background to appreciate and identify issues which may require referral or consultation with legal counsel. Each concise chapter addresses a different legal issue that those employed in agriculture and agribusiness may face, and both federal law and representative examples of state law are included. In addition to traditional topics such as contracts, property law and estate planning, the book also covers more contemporary issues such as organic certification, animal law, genetically engineered crops and food safety. Agricultural law extends beyond those directly engaged in farming to those in agribusiness who provide services and inputs to farmers, buy farmers’ products, store or transport products, manufacture food products, and serve as intermediaries between farmers and consumers. The book will therefore also serve as a reference and a guide for those employed in agribusiness as well as agriculture.

Energy supply depends on the means of transport to the consumer. Cables and pipelines are necessary to transport oil, gas, and electricity. Their construction and use depend on developments in technology, policies, and laws. This book analyzes the challenges confronting governments, regulators, and network operators in managing energy networks.

Although upwards of 50,000 environmental assessments (EAs) are prepared annually—compared to some 500 environmental impact statements (EISs)—the focus of U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations is on defining requirements for preparing EISs. Written by Charles Eccleston and J. Peyton Doub, who have established themselves among the top environmental experts in the world, Preparing NEPA Environmental Assessments: A User’s Guide to Best Professional Practices fills the need for an authoritative and comprehensive guide on how to prepare EAs. Bridging the regulatory gap, this book identifies relevant EIS regulatory requirements that can be logically interpreted to also apply to EAs. It compiles and synthesizes information scattered throughout NEPA’s regulations, executive orders, and guidance documents, and incorporates case law to provide additional clarification. The authors also draw on the professional experiences and best professional practices (BPP) of NEPA practitioners. From the fundamentals to more advanced topics, the book presents a consistent methodology to help beginners, students, and professionals manage, analyze, and write legally sufficient EAs. It addresses dilemmas that have traditionally plagued preparation of EAs, provides BPPs, tools, and approaches for resolving problems, and introduces methods for streamlining the EA process. Building on Eccleston’s previous guide to EAs, Effective Environmental Assessments: How to Manage and Prepare NEPA Assessments (2001), this book reflects the rapid changes in government policy over the past ten years. An indispensable source of practical information, it provides readers with step-by-step direction and best practices for preparing defensible EAs.

This new title offers a compact and complete resource for students, featuring extracts from leading cases and articles alongside clear explanations and insightful analysis from an experienced author team. This unique approach places environmental law in context, enabling you to develop a clear and sophisticated understanding of this dynamic area.