Stray voltage
Economic losses to dairy and livestock from off-farm electrical interference.
Agricultural Litigation
Damages from stray voltage, toxic feed, equipment defects, crop loss, and livestock disputes.
A forensic economist quantifies the operational and financial losses suffered by farms and agribusinesses.
Agricultural damages turn on factors a generalist analyst rarely sees, including seasonal production cycles, commodity-market dynamics, herd-level reproductive and productive trajectories, and the operational realities that drive farm profitability. The methods and data sources appropriate to each matter depend on the nature of the operation and the alleged harm.
Types of cases include
Feed and additive
Damages from contaminated, mislabeled, or defective feed and supplements.
Equipment defects
Lost production from defective machinery, milking systems, and farm equipment.
Crop loss
Yield-loss analysis from chemical drift, contamination, and supply failures.
Livestock disputes
Loss-of-herd valuation, reproductive losses, and breeding-stock damages.
What we provide
Independent economic analysis available to plaintiff or defense counsel.
Our work establishes a but-for baseline for the operation, comparing actual production and financial performance against what the farm or agribusiness would have produced absent the alleged harm. The analysis draws on farm-specific records (production logs, milk-check histories, sales receipts, tax returns), agency data appropriate to the practice (USDA, NASS, state extension services), commodity and input prices, and peer-reviewed research on relevant biological and economic relationships. Depending on the case, the economic measure may be lost profits, diminished value of the operation as a going concern, or both.
Reports are written to satisfy FRCP 26(a)(2)(B), supported by deposition and trial testimony as needed. Closely related work appears on the business-interruption page.
Note: We do not provide legal advice. Retaining counsel identifies the applicable legal framework; we apply accepted economic methods to quantify losses.
Common questions
What counsel asks before retaining an economic expert.
What is stray voltage and how does it affect dairy farm economics?
Stray voltage occurs when low-level electrical current flows through paths not intended to carry it, such as metal stanchions, water bowls, and milking equipment. In dairy operations, stray voltage has been associated with effects that may include, but are not limited to, reduced milk production, elevated somatic cell counts, reproductive issues, and changes in cow behavior. The nature and extent of any economic impact depend on the specific facts of each case.
How do forensic economists calculate crop loss damages?
Crop loss analysis generally involves comparing historical yield data for the specific fields at issue against what the fields would have produced absent the damaging event. This but-for analysis may incorporate government agricultural data, soil quality information, commodity market prices, and farm-specific records, among other sources. The specific data and methods depend on the facts of each case.
What records does a forensic economist need to analyze agricultural damages?
The records needed vary by case and depend on the type of agricultural operation, the nature of the alleged harm, and the damages being claimed. We work with counsel to identify and obtain the financial, production, and operational records relevant to each specific matter.
Can a forensic economist testify about both lost profits and diminished farm value?
Depending on the case, we may analyze lost profits, diminished value, or both. Lost profits measure the income the operation would have earned but for the harm, while diminished value addresses the impact on the enterprise as a going concern. The appropriate measure or combination of measures depends on the legal theory, the facts, and the applicable law.
Where do your economists practice?
Our economists are based in Wisconsin and California. We have particular depth of experience in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and California, but regularly accept engagements throughout the United States. We provide expert economic analysis nationwide. Logan Kelly has provided expert testimony in federal and state courts across multiple jurisdictions; both economists are available for deposition and trial as needed.
Practice scope Federal and state courts nationwide.