With its dynamic – and essential – nature, the food and agriculture industry is truly in growth mode as it endeavors to provide the world’s growing population, which is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, with a safe and stable supply of food, fuel, and fiber. The industry seeks to meet these challenges as cultures change (and often clash) while demands continue to increase for finite natural resources. To help drive success amid these conditions, Bradley lawyers serve as leaders in providing technical, experienced litigation, regulatory, and government affairs counsel to a wide variety of national and international “seed-to-table” clients, including crop science companies, biotechnology firms, farmers, food producers, and many more.
We understand and support the science behind genetically engineered (GE) crop traits and have handled numerous cases for seed producers and agribusiness firms, both in the Southeast and around the country, that involved product liability claims, allegations of crop “contamination,” purported breach of contract, and other legal issues. We have been heavily involved in defense of the LibertyLink Rice litigation and the MIR162 corn litigation, and we have helped companies obtain and defend federal regulatory approvals of GE crops and herbicides.
Our lawyers also have extensive experience in representing clients that manufacture and process food additives and nutrients, as well as producers of a variety of food, including grains, produce, poultry, and farm-raised fish. A key member of our team served as counsel to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the United States Senate, where he worked on GE crop, pesticide, and food safety issues, and conducted oversight of food and agriculture programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency.
Our deep understanding of the food and agriculture industry is fueled by our experience. In addition to winning cases in the courtroom, negotiating favorable settlements, and providing regulatory and government affairs counsel, Bradley attorneys have invested time visiting laboratories and greenhouses, walking farm fields, observing production facilities, mastering relevant scientific and technical issues, and addressing reputational and stewardship risks – all to gain a better perspective on how best to help clients achieve their business goals.
Our food and agriculture industry clients benefit from our team’s ability to draw from a deep bench of experienced attorneys at Bradley to handle litigation, regulatory, and related matters in many areas, including:
- Intellectual property, including patents and licensing
- Life sciences
- Trade secrets and noncompetes
- Labor and employment
- Class actions and mass torts
- Environmental
- Real estate
- Antitrust
- ERISA and employee benefits
- Insurance
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Venture capital
- Government affairs
