Lecturer
Biography
Professor Centner joined the law faculty in 2019. His research focuses on the agricultural-environmental interface looking at current issues from a scientific and legal perspective. He has published more than 160 scientific papers and law review articles, and has lectured in 50 countries around the world. He has also published four books: Empty Pastures; Blame Culture; Environmental Law and the Protection of People; and Consumers, Meat and Animal Products.
Prior to joining the Law College faculty, Professor Centner practiced law in New York state, clerked at the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Florida, and taught at the University of Georgia. During his tenure at Georgia, he was an Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung research scholar at the University of Göttingen (Germany), Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Mannheim (Germany), Professor at the University of New Orleans Innsbruck Summer School (Austria), Fulbright-Scotland Visiting Professor at the University of Aberdeen (UK), and lecturer at the University of Lucerne (Switzerland).
Professor Centner served as president of the American Agricultural Law Association and received the association’s Distinguished Service Award. Under the auspices of Great Plains AG*IDEA, an interactive distance education alliance, he helped develop an online agricultural law certificate. In 2015, he was awarded the Food and Agricultural Sciences Excellence in University Teaching Award by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Courses
Environmental Law Law 641/G (3 cr hr)
An introduction to Environmental Law. The course will examine the theoretical and scientific underpinnings of environmental policy as well as specific federal laws designed to control water and air pollution or assign liability for toxic cleanups. Issues are viewed from several perspectives, including those of regulated businesses, environmental activists, and government agencies. No prior experience with environmental issues is required. All scientific and regulatory concepts will be presented in a straightforward, understandable manner. The course will be valuable not only to students with a specific interest in environmental law but also to those wanting to gain knowledge and skills essential to the successful representation of clients in any regulatory setting.Natural Resources Law Law 698/G (3 cr hr)
Natural resources law is a foundational course in the environmental curriculum. It addresses the conservation and use of public lands (including National Parks, Forests and other federal and state lands), wildlife, cultural and historic properties, and mineral resources. Because many of our natural resource laws are rooted in 19th century policies, our exploration of modern natural resource management will be steeped in frontier history - westward expansion, homesteading, range wars and mining camps - and peopled with colorful (and sometimes unsavory) characters. We will focus primarily on federal law and its implications for state, tribal and private interests, as played out in the federal courts.
Articles
Anti-Community State Pesticide Preemption Laws Prevent Local Governments from Protecting People from Harm 17 International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability _ (2019) (with Heric)
Viewing Evidence of Harm Accompanying Uses of Glyphosate-Based Herbicides under US Legal Requirements 658 Science of the Total Environment 609 (2019) (with Russell and Mays)
Reducing the Risks Posed by Sulfoxaflor Use to Increase the Protection of Pollinator Species 75 Land Use Policy 70 (2018) (with Brewer and Leal)
Divergent Approaches Regulating Beta Agonists and Cloning of Food Animals: United States and European Union 26 Society & Animals 1 (2018) (with Petetin)
Differentiating Animal Products Based on Production Technologies and Preventing Fraud 22 Drake Journal of Agricultural Law 267 (2017)
Cancelling Pesticide Registrations and Revoking Tolerances: The Case of Chlorpyrifos 56 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 53 (2018)
Recent Developments in Rural Law in the United States 77 Agrarisch Recht 505 (2017) (with Grossman)
Improvements in Pesticide Drift Reduction Technology (DRT) Call for Improving Liability Provisions to Offer Incentives for Adoption 69 Land Use Policy 439 (2017) (with Palardy)
Observations on Risks, the Social Sciences, and Unconventional Hydrocarbons 20 Energy Research and Social Sciences 1 (2016)
Efforts to Slacken Antibiotic Resistance: Labeling Meat Products from Animals Raised without Antibiotics in the United States 563 Science of the Total Environment 108 (2016)
Recent Government Regulations in the United States Seek to Ensure the Effectiveness of Antibiotics by Limiting Their Agricultural Use 94 Environment International 1 (2016)
Reducing Pollution at Five Critical Points of Shale Gas Production: Strategies and Institutional Responses 94 Energy Policy 40 (2016)
The Use of Best Management Practices to Respond to Externalities from Developing Shale Gas Resources 59 Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 746 (2016) (with Eberhart)
Permitting Program with Best Management Practices for Shale Gas Wells to Safeguard Public Health 163 Journal of Environmental Management 174 (2015) (with Petetin)
Local Governments Want Authority to Address Problems: The Case of Horizontal Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing in the United States 49 Land Use Policy 227 (2015) (with Kostandini)
Preemption of Local Governmental Ordinances Regulating Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in the United States 4 Environment and Pollution 66 (2015) (with Alcorn)
Governmental Provisions to Manage and Eradicate Feral Swine in Areas of the United States 44 AMBIO 121 (2015) (with Shuman)
Beta Agonists in Livestock Feed: Status, Health Concerns, and International Trade 92 Journal of Animal Science 4234 (2014) (with Alvey and Stelzleni)
Requiring Pollutant Discharge Permits for Pesticide Applications that Deposit Residues in Surface Waters 11 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 4978 (2014) (with Eberhart)
Unfinished Business in the Regulation of Shale Gas Production in the United States 476 Science of the Total Environment 359 (2014) (with O’Connell)
Damages from Pesticide Spray Drift under Trespass Law 41 Ecology Law Currents 1 (2014)
Assigning Liability for Pesticide Spray Drift 36 Land Use Policy 83 (2014) (with Colson and Lawrence)
Recent Rural Law Developments in the United States 12 Agrarisch Recht 422 (2013) (with Johnson)
Oversight of Shale Gas Production in the United States and the Disclosure of Toxic Substances 38 Resources Policy 233 (2013)
Rationing Health Protection: A Proposal to Exempt Nuisance Dust from US Clean Air Act Regulations 117 Journal of Environmental Management 219 (2013) (with Colson)
Securing Recompense under Nuisance Law for Crop Damages from Pesticide Applications 432 Science of the Total Environment 78 (2012)
Governments' Ability to Take Actions to Confront Incursions of Diseases – A Case Study: Citrus Canker in Florida 61 Plant Pathology 821 (2012) (with Ferreira)
Regulating the Land Application of Manure from Animal Production Facilities in the USA 14 Water Policy 319 (2012)
Controlling Diseases and Nuisances: Time-Based Rights and Agricultural Production 29 Land Use Policy 513 (2012) (with Ferreira)
Legitimate Exercises of the Police Power or Compensable Takings: Courts May Recognize Private Property Rights 7 Journal of Food Law & Policy 191 (2012)
Recent Rural Law Developments in the United States 10 Agrarisch Recht 401 (2011).
Reducing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Permitting Requirements 89 Journal of Animal Science 4364 (2011) (with Newton)
Have Legislatures Fully Considered Causal Factors in Assigning Liability for Inherent Risk Accidents? 6 Journal of Business Systems, Governance and Ethics 25 (2011)
Addressing Water Contamination from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations 28 Land Use Policy 706 (2011)
Challenging NPDES Permits Granted without Public Participation 38 Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review 1 (2011)
Air Pollution by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations 19 Desalination and Water Treatment 12 (2010) (with Patel)
Nutrient Pollution from the Land Applications of Manure: Discerning a Remedy for Pollution 21 Stanford Law and Policy Review 213 (2010)
New State Liability Exceptions for Agritourism Activities and the Use of Liability Releases 27 Agriculture and Human Values 189 (2010)
Discerning Liability for Contamination by Poultry Integrators and Producers under US Federal Law 66 World's Poultry Science Journal 5 (2010)
Discerning Public Participation Requirements under the U.S. Clean Water Act 24 Water Resources Management 2113 (2010)
Limitations on the Confinement of Food Animals in the United States 23 Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 469 (2010)
Reporting Air Emissions from Animal Production Activities in the United States 36 Environment International 237 (2010) (with Patel)
Liability Concerns: Agritourism Operators Seek a Defense against Damages Resulting from Inherent Risks 19 Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy 102 (2009)
Courts and the EPA Interpret NPDES General Permit Requirements for CAFOs 38 Environmental Law 1215 (2008)
Meeting Environmental Requirements for the Land Application of Manure 86 Journal of Animal Science 3228 (2008) (with Newton)
Regulating the Use of Non-Therapeutic Antibiotics in Food Animals 21 Georgetown International Environmental Law Review 1 (2008)
Discerning Immunity for Governmental Entities: Analyzing Legislative Choices 24 Review of Policy Research 425 (2007)
La Ley de Agua Limpia de los Estados Unidos 10 Investigaciones 229 (2006)
Creating an ‘Undeveloped Lands Protection Act' for Farmlands, Forests, and Natural Areas 17 Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum 1 (2006)
Nuisances from Animal Feeding Operations: Reconciling Agricultural Production and Neighboring Property Rights 11 Drake Journal of Agricultural Law 2 (2006)
Clarifying NPDES Requirements for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations 14 Penn State Environmental Law Review 361 (2006)
Regulating Manure Application Discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in the United States 141 Environmental Pollution 571 (2006) (with Feitshans)
Governmental Oversight of Discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations 37 Environmental Management 745 (2006)
Equestrian Immunity and Sport Responsibility Statutes: Altering Obligations and Placing Them on Participants 13 Villanova Sports and Entertainment Law Journal 37 (2006)
Governmental and Unconstitutional Takings: When Do Right-to-Farm Laws Go Too Far? 33 Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review 87 (2006)
Books
Meat and Animal Products: Policies, Regulations and Marketing Routledge 2019
Environmental Law and the Protection of People Cognella 2016, 2018
America's Blame Culture: Pointing Fingers and Shunning Restitution Carolina Academic Press 2008
Empty Pastures: Confined Animals and the Transformation of the Rural Landscape University of Illinois Press 2004
Book Chapters
Regulation of Water Pollution from Hydraulic Fracturing in Horizontally-Drilled Wells in the Marcellus Shale Region, USA, in Wastewater and Shale Formation Development: Risks, Mitigation, and Regulation Sheila Olmstead, ed. 183-197 (2015) (with Hatzenbuhler)
Agricultural Law, in Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems Neal Van Alfen, ed. 157-167 (2014)
Welfare Concerns and Responses Limiting Animal Management Practices in the United States, in Jahrbuch des Agrarrechts José Martinez, ed. 59-67 (2012)
Changes in Consumers' Food Purchases Due to New Legislation on Food Labeling May Affect Livestock Production Practices in the United States, in Livestock Rearing, Production Practices and Diseases M. Tariq Naved, ed. 227-235 (2011) (with Gower)
Other
- Date: Monday, September 19, 2022
Other
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food & Agricultural Sciences National Teaching Award, 2015
Fulbright-Scotland Visiting Professor, Law School, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, 2015
American Agricultural Law Association Distinguished Service Award, 2014
American Agricultural Law Association Professional Scholarship Award, 2007
University of Georgia Student Government Association Teaching Award, 2007
University of Georgia Gamma Sigma Delta Senior Faculty Award, 2004
American Agricultural Law Association Professional Scholarship Award, 2003
Fulbright Senior Scholar, Law School, University of Mannheim, Germany, 2002
University of Georgia Agricultural Alumni Researcher Award, 1997
American Agricultural Law Association's Presidential Gavel, 1993
Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung Research Fellow, Law School, Göttingen, Germany, 1990
American Agricultural Law Association’s Certificate of Appreciation, 1990
Leadership Development Fellow, Resources for the Future, Washington, 1988
Education
- LL.M. in Agricultural Law, University of Arkansas (1982)
- J.D., State University of New York at Buffalo (1976)
- B.S. with Distinction, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University (1973)