By Andi Anderson
A Texas-based nonprofit organization, the Liberty Justice Center, has filed a legal challenge against the USDA’s Swampbuster law, supporting an Iowa farmer's fight to reclaim his land.
Alongside the Pacific Legal Foundation, the group seeks to overturn the law, which they argue violates farmers' constitutional rights.
Enacted in 1985, Swampbuster prevents farmers from using land classified as wetlands by the federal government. Farmers who violate this law risk losing USDA benefits, including crop insurance and access to loans.
Critics argue that the law takes farmers’ land without just compensation, a right protected by the Fifth Amendment.
The legal challenge comes from CTM Holdings, a family-owned company managing 1,075 acres of farmland in Iowa. The USDA classified nine acres of this property as wetlands, despite no standing water or connection to a water source.
Due to the Swampbuster statute, farming on these nine acres would jeopardize benefits across the entire property.
Liberty Justice Center and Pacific Legal Foundation filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa, seeking to strike down Swampbuster. They argue the law unfairly takes farmers’ land and forces them to forfeit federal benefits in exchange for retaining constitutional rights.
This case highlights a growing debate over land rights and government regulations in agriculture. Supporters of the lawsuit hope the court will rule in favor of farmers, protecting their land and livelihoods.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: Iowa, Government & Policy