2007 Environment / Agriculture Presentations
Environmental Issues in Agriculture
Farming in Today's Environment: How to Manage the Risk of Environmental Liability: Why you need an Environmental Farm Plan
Agricultural production is being increasingly perceived by the public to have impacts on the environment. As a result there has been an influx of new environmental laws and regulations in recent years. For producers to be unaware of their rights and responsibilities under these environmental laws and regulations is to put their operation at risk, including liability for fines and damages, loss on investment, and loss of lending capability. Land ownership, buying and selling land, pesticide use, oil and gas operations, manure disposal, and water management are but a few of the areas that require environmental risk assessment and management. Environmental Farm Planning is thus now an integral part of good business planning and operation. This presentation is an opportunity for producers to learn how environmental laws can affect their farm operations and why it is important to incorporate risk management strategies and demonstrate environmental due diligence in their farming plans and operations through proper Environmental Farm Planning.
Surface Rights and the Farmer - Whose Land is it Anyway?
What is the meaning of landownership? What are surface rights? In order to ensure that allowing oil and gas operations on their land does not result in unsuspecting environmental damages and liabilities to them, landholders today must have an understanding of the answers to these questions, and must ensure that the agreements they enter into with oil and gas operators fairly address the risks that might arise to them from those operations. This applies to the initial seismic and survey, through to abandonment and restoration. From more than twenty years of experience in his practice, Julian Bodnar has developed protocols and terms and conditions to include in agreements and rights of entry, that serve to facilitate this fairness and minimize the risks that may be unsuspectingly assumed in the granting of a well site lease or pipeline right of way for oil and gas operations. It provides farmers with an overview of the considerations they should make prior to entering into agreements, and practical tools for dealing with surface rights issues, whether through negotiations or the Board of Arbitration.
Beyond the Label.Pesticide Risk Management Applications in Agriculture
In the business of agriculture, the use of pesticides is often seen as having a high potential for pollution and human injury. Modern pesticide use laws and regulations command extra responsibility on the part of applicators to ensure the safety of themselves and others. This presentation covers all aspects of preventing environmental liability for pesticide use ranging from storage, handling, and application, to liability for environmental damage, and liability for criminal prosecution.
Water on the Farm . Your Rights or Last Rites?
Increasing demands and regulation of water are placing new responsibilities on producers for the use, conservation, and protection of it. What are the rights and responsibilities of agriculture when it comes to water use? This presentation is designed to help farmers understand and protect their water supplies and rights, and avoid being held responsible for environmental contamination of water from farming operations.
Waste Management on the Farm . To Waste, Or Not Want To?
Environmental responsibility today is based upon the premise that "Polluters Pay.Everyone's Responsible. No longer can we continue to operate with the notion that the "Solution to Pollution is Dilution". Environmentally sound waste management practices are therefore a critical part of today's farming operations. This includes taking the pro-active steps of identifying environmental waste hazards and risks, measuring their short-term and long-term significance and minimizing those risks through the pro-active implementation of modern environmental practices. This presentation focuses on the areas where today's producers must be cognizant of the hazards of failing to incorporate waste management practices into their operations, and the steps they must take inorder to ensure that waste management is an integral part of their environmental farm planning and risk management strategies.