SWAN V. ROLLINS

Case Name: Swan v. Rollins

Type of Case: Limited Government Project

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Green Bay Division

Filed On: June 9, 2026

Current Status: Victory! After our lawsuit, the USDA has announced they will end mandatory funding for ESG with dairy check off dollars. 

Three Wisconsin dairy farmers are contesting the Dairy Checkoff, a burdensome federal program that leads to the demise of small farms under the guise of environmental sustainability. The case challenges the program as violating the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Meet the Client

Abby Swan, a dairy farmer from Westfield, Wisconsin, previously worked as an Emergency Department registered nurse for over 20 years. She now operates her family’s dairy farm of roughly 800 cows, currently milking around 320 of them. The family farm is subject to the Dairy Checkoff program.

Background

While Checkoff funds are legally restricted to dairy product promotion and research, current programs now fund private organizations such as the Innovation Center, whose activities exceed regulatory authority. By requiring farmers to subsidize those activities, the defendants violate constitutional protections and exceed what Congress authorized.

Lawyers

Rebecca Furdek, Deputy Counsel

CASE DOCUMENTS

• Complaint, June 2026