US EditionJudge Says Iowa Farmer Can’t Proceed with ‘Swampbuster’ Case
- Federal Judge C.J. Williams dismissed with prejudice a 2025 lawsuit by CTM Holdings against the USDA over the Swampbuster wetland protection rule in Iowa.
- CTM Holdings challenged the 1985 Swampbuster rule as unconstitutional when it sought to farm 9 acres designated as wetland, but the plaintiff had not completed required steps before court action.
- Several organizations focused on environmental protection and sustainable agriculture stepped in to support the rule, asserting that it plays a vital role in safeguarding wetlands, wildlife habitats, and water quality.
- Judge Williams ruled the plaintiff's alleged injury was speculative, affirming Swampbuster's role in federal conservation programs that have reduced soil erosion and protected 30 million acres of Upper Midwest wetlands.
- The dismissal upholds the federal government's ability to link farm benefits to conservation compliance, though CTM Holdings plans to appeal to the Eighth Circuit, while supporters call the ruling a victory for sustainable agriculture.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Cherokee Tribune Ledger News
Swampbuster case dismissed by federal judge
A federal judge has ruled in favor of intervening environmental groups and dismissed a lawsuit against a decades-old rule that connects wetland protections to federal farm benefits. The lawsuit, filed by CTM Holdings LLC against the U.S. Department of Agriculture,…
Victory: Judge Rules Against Dangerous Case Seeking to Gut Wetland Protections
Today, federal judge C.J. Williams of the Northern District of Iowa ruled in favor of sustainable agriculture groups and family farmers in a Project 2025-motivated lawsuit, CTM Holdings, LLC v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, which sought to gut longstanding clean water and wetlands protections. The ruling is a victory for wetlands, habitat, and water quality throughout the United States. Environmental and sustainable agriculture groups includin…
Federal court dismisses Iowa company's attempt to overturn 40-year-old wetlands protection law - Little Village
President Ronald Regan signs the 1985 Farm Bill, which includes the “swampbuster law” at the center of CTM Holdings’ case in 2025. — USDAOn Thursday, a federal judge in Cedar Rapids rejected an attempt by the owner of a farm in Delaware County to overturn a 40-year-old law protecting wetlands. Judge C.J. Williams, the chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, issued a summary judgment in the case after determinin…
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