Current Event Assignment Part 2	

Facts section: In your own words, summarize what happened that created the conflict. These are the facts of the case. Try to get the perspective of each side of the conflict. You may find more than one news article about the conflict, for example. Include all of the information that you can find.
	In Oregon's hemp industry, a greater focus on seed-free flowers, combined with booming crop acreage, is generating legal disputes over cross-pollination across growers. Male flowers  not only produce less CBD, but if they are pollinated and give priority to rising seeds over the development of the compound, their presence can negatively impact the quality of female flowers. Unintentional pollination of hemp crops by neighbors has, for that reason, sparked lawsuits alleging significant financial losses from drifting pollen. The Hempicine seed company operated by Seth Crawford is filing a lawsuit accusing local hemp farmers of negligence, nuisance and trespass for mixed crop pollination of male and female plants. These conflicts are partially the result of the booming success of the hemp industry in Oregon. For some strains of hemp, only non-feminized seed is available, but farmers can then 'rogue out' or extract the male plants from the females once they start flowering, said Barry Cook, founder of Boring Hemp Co. Traditionally, growing seed without the technique of feminization is simpler for breeders, however some farmers plant the mixed seed without taking into account the effect on neighbors. If a demand for hemp fiber and oilseeds, used for crushing instead of planting, grows in Oregon, farmers will have to plant both males and females out of demand. 

Issue section: Identify the legal issue that needs to be resolved in this conflict. You now have practice at this with cases from class--think carefully to get to the rights or responsibilities of the parties to articulate the legal issue.
	Were the hemp farmers negligent in the act of not feminizing their hemp crop in order to maintain cross pollination? Do the hemp farmers owe an act of duty to feminize their hemp crops?

Rule of Law: Now that you have identified a clear legal issue, state the rule of law that will apply to the issue. Remember that the rule of law should be stated very generally, not applied to the conflict that you identified. Look back at the legal rules we have studied to help you.
	The law of negligence requires that if a duty is owed and that duty is breached, and the damage was reasonably foreseeable, then the act of negligence applies. The rule of negligence people to conduct themselves in a manner that complies with certain rules of conduct. If an individual does not adhere to that requirement, the individual may be held liable for damages. 

Holding/Apply the Rule: How do you think the rule of law that you identified applies to the agricultural conflict? How will the conflict be resolved? Try to answer the question that you raised in the Issue section.
	In this case, an argument is being made that the hemp farmers owed an act of duty to feminize their seeds in order to control cross pollination of the hemp seeds. The consequence of not doing so caused damages to neighboring farmers. If an act of duty is found, the hemp seed breeders would need to feminize their seeds before any purchase is made in order to control cross pollination and ensure a limit to liability. If there is a demand for non-feminized seeds, then a strict and reasonable warning must be made to the buyer to ensure transparency to all parties involved that cross pollination is possible.    

Reasoning/Justification: Explain why you came to the conclusion stated in the holding. Clearly apply the rule to the facts of the case and explain the resolution to the conflict.
	If farmers are selling a product and have reasonable knowledge that their product can and will cross pollinate to other properties and cause damage, then it is clear that the hemp seed breeders do have a duty to the farmers to feminize their seeds before transaction to ensure future damage are not caused to others property.