In agriculture, sustainability is not a preference – it is a sign of vitality. Food manufacturers, farmers, and land investors across the globe who understand that have already begun to reap the benefits.
As in other industries that have prioritized environmental social governance, companies that ethically source the resources to develop and produce crops and livestock see substantial financial benefits and boost their long-term productivity and longevity. For reasons that differ across continents, consumers and regulators alike have placed enormous value on sustainable farming and land maintenance, and companies and investors that fail to meet the standards they set are being excluded in the market.
Responsible farming involves a litany of issues, all of which come with legal and financial hurdles that differ country to country and region to region. Our team of lawyers assists clients in navigating regulations around pesticide usage, sourcing clean water, ethical labor practices, environmental protection, and effects on wildlife, among countless others.
Standards also differ among private clients and trade groups. We serve as counsel in discussions and disputes across the supply chain, from farmers themselves, to distributors, to the companies that deliver the product to the consumer. With lawyers around the globe who are intimately familiar with the standards of their region, our team is uniquely positioned to help guide clients looking to create policies and audit procedures across a variety of sustainability metrics.
More than any other time, businesses, investors, and consumers alike have the responsibility to promote, sponsor, and consume ethically sourced and sustainable agriculture. Our team has spent years helping clients meet that responsibility and build value while doing so. We can help to ensure that you will, too.
On 30 January 2024, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule (Final Rule) increasing the premium processing fee from US$2,500 to US$2,805, increasing filing fees for I-129 and I-140 employment-based petitions, and imposing a new Asylum Program Fee for each Form I-129 and I-140 filed by employers.
On 3 April 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission announced the first settlement with a stand-alone registered investment adviser for, among other things, failures to maintain and preserve certain electronic communications.
On 22 December 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted amendments (the final rule) to Rule 206(4)-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the Advisers Act) to modernize the regulation of investment adviser advertising and solicitation practices.
On 7 March 2024, the Illinois Pollution Control Board proposed amendments to its Ground Water Quality regulations, which would set standards for selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances compounds at or near their levels of detection and would result in some of the most stringent standards in the country.
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