This was first published in the November 2025 edition of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA)’s Agriculture Section Council newsletter.
SNAP Benefits and USDA Legal Battles
- A series of federal court rulings in late October and early November have forced the USDA to reverse its suspension of November SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown.[1] Judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ruled that the USDA must use contingency funds to continue food assistance, citing statutory obligations and the irreparable harm to millions of Americans. The courts emphasized that the USDA’s interpretation of the law was erroneous and that contingency reserves must be deployed to fund benefits—even if only partially.
Land Use
- Following the Bock Food Law & Policy Conference in Carbondale, Illinois, agrivoltaics—co-locating solar panels with agricultural production—has emerged as a hot topic.[2] Legal experts are urging landowners to consider lease terms that preserve future agrivoltaics opportunities. This evolving area of law may impact solar lease negotiations and rural land use planning
- The USDA unveiled a plan in October 2025 to strengthen the U.S. beef industry and lower consumer prices amid a government shutdown and trade tensions.[3] The initiative includes deregulatory reforms, expanded processing capacity, and interagency collaboration to streamline grazing access on 24 million acres of federal land. It also proposes new standards for compensating ranchers for livestock lost to predators and encourages outreach and education in ranching through federal grants.
Homeland Security and Agroterrorism
- Congressional hearings have highlighted vulnerabilities in U.S. agricultural defenses against agroterrorism.[4] Legal experts are urging reforms to bolster protections for food systems and rural infrastructure.
Antitrust
- The USDA discontinued a program that supported state-level efforts to investigate monopolistic practices in agriculture.[5] The initiative had enabled collaboration between USDA and state attorneys general to address consolidation in markets such as seeds, fertilizers, and meat processing. While some stakeholders expressed concern about the program’s termination, USDA officials emphasized a shift toward federal-level enforcement. A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with the Department of Justice to continue antitrust investigations at the national level.
Illinois
- Governor JB Pritzker declared an Agricultural Export Crisis in Illinois through an executive order signed in October 2025, directing state agencies to expand domestic markets for Illinois-grown commodities in response to trade disruptions and federal tariffs that have impacted exports—particularly soybeans and pork.[6] The order also increased funding for the Farm Family Resource Initiative to support mental health services for farm families and emphasized the state’s commitment to advocating for farmers and stabilizing the agricultural economy.
[1] CBS News, SNAP Food Stamps: Trump Administration Contingency Fund, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/snap-food-stamps-trump-administration-contingency-fund/ (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
[2] Nat’l Conf. of State Legislatures, Agrivoltaics: Solar and Agriculture, https://www.ncsl.org/energy/agrivoltaics-solar-and-agriculture (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
[3] Cami Koons, USDA Announces Plan to ‘Strengthen’ Beef Industry, IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH (Oct. 22, 2025), https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/22/usda-announces-plan-to-strengthen-beef-industry/ (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
[4] HSToday, U.S. Agricultural Defenses Fall Short Against Rising Agroterrorism Threats, https://www.hstoday.us/featured/u-s-agricultural-defenses-fall-short-against-rising-agroterrorism-threats-expert-warns-congress/ (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
[5] Civil Eats, USDA Ends Program to Help States Fight Monopolies, https://civileats.com/2025/09/26/usda-ends-program-to-help-states-fight-monopolies/ (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
[6] NBC Chicago, Gov. Pritzker Declares Agricultural Export Crisis in Illinois, https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/gov-pritzker-declares-agricultural-export-crisis-in-illinois-signs-executive-order/3845135/ (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
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