Cottrell v. United States

71 Fed. Cl. 559, 2006 U.S. Claims LEXIS 152, 2006 WL 1645028
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedJune 13, 2006
DocketNo. 05-990 C
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 71 Fed. Cl. 559 (Cottrell v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cottrell v. United States, 71 Fed. Cl. 559, 2006 U.S. Claims LEXIS 152, 2006 WL 1645028 (uscfc 2006).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

DAMICH, Chief Judge.

I. Introduction

Plaintiff Jeffrey D. Cottrell filed suit seeking monetary damages in connection with applications he submitted to participate in two U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) programs — the Conservation Reserve Program (“CRP”) and the Production Flexibility Contract (“PFC”) program. On December 29, 2005, Defendant filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiffs claims for failure to state a claim or alternatively, for lack of subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to Rules 12(b)(6) and 12(b)(1) of the United States Court of Federal Claims (“RCFC”). For the reasons set forth below, Defendant’s motion is GRANTED.

[560]*560II. Background

A. Plaintiffs 1989 CRP Claim

CRP is an agricultural program designed to “assist owners and operators of highly erodible cropland in conserving and improving the soil and water resources of their farms or ranches.” 16 U.S.C. § 3831(a) (1988). To effectuate this program, Congress authorized the Secretary of the USDA to enter into rental contracts with the owners and operators of eligible cropland. Id. § 3831(e). Under the program, eligible owners and operators must agree to refrain from planting crops and agree to utilize the land for less intensive purposes, such as for “pasture, permanent grass, legumes, forbs, shrubs or trees_” Id. § 3832(a)(1). In exchange, the USDA agrees to “share the cost of carrying out the conservation measures,” “pay an annual rental payment” to the owner or operator, and to “provide conservation technical assistance.” Id. § 3833. In order to be eligible for this program, however, the owner or operator must: (1) include an approved conservation plan, and (2) non-owner operators (such as Plaintiff) must provide assurance of control of the land for the duration of the contract period. Def.’s App. at 4 (citing the CRP Contract); 7 C.F.R. §§ 704.3(b), 704.9, 704.6(a) (1989).

On July 17, 1989, Plaintiff and his grandmother, Lucille Stuller, the owner of the farmland at the time, submitted an application to have two parcels of land participate in the CRP from January 1, 1990, through December 31, 1999. Compl. ¶ 4; Def.’s App. at 1-14. Although Lucille Stuller owned the parcels, Plaintiff entered into two leases with her in 1986, thereby making him the operator of the land for the duration of the leases. Compl. ¶ 3. Less than two months after submitting the application, Lucille Stuller passed away. Def.’s Mot. at 4; PL’s Resp. at 8. In her will, Lucille Stuller bequeathed to her four children equal interests in her estate and named her daughter, Nancy Cottrell (Plaintiffs mother), executrix. Id. Nancy Cottrell’s siblings (her co-heirs) filed suit in Ohio state court disputing the will and Plaintiffs leases. Id. Litigation challenging the will, the validity of Plaintiffs leases, and seeking the partition of the bequeathed land lingered on while Plaintiff attempted to participate in the USDA programs involved herein.

On September 5,1989, the District Conservationist approved Plaintiffs plan thereby satisfying the first eligibility prong for operators. Def.’s Mot. at 4. However, in a letter dated November 14, 1989, the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (“ASCS”) Committee (“County Committee”) informed Plaintiff that because he could not demonstrate that he had the requisite legal control over the land in question for the duration of the CRP period (one of the leases expired short of the entire CRP term), his application would be delayed pending the approval of the “[e]xeeutors of the estate of Lucille Stuller” and “[e]aeh hem that will acquire an interest in the land pursuant to the terms of Lucille Stuller’s will.” Def.’s App. at 19. The County Committee wanted to ensure that the owners of the land agreed that Plaintiff could place it in the program even though the terms of the CRP extended past the original term in one of Plaintiffs leases. See id.; see also Cottrell v. Yuetter, No. 93-4336, 1994 WL 560967 at *1 (6th Cir.1994). The letter stated that Plaintiff shall obtain and provide the County Committee with the necessary signatures by November 20,1989. Id. Plaintiff never obtained the requested signatures because Lucille Stul-ler’s heirs (with the exception of Nancy Cott-rell) would not sign the contract. Def.’s Mot. at 6.

In a letter dated March 29, 1990, the County Committee reiterated that Plaintiffs application could not be accepted without the additional signatures of Lucille Stuller’s heirs. Def.’s App. at 25. The letter informed Plaintiff that he had 15 days to request reconsideration of the County Committee’s determination. Id. Upon Plaintiffs request, the County Committee reconsidered Plaintiffs application and informed him on May 2, 1990, that his request “for Conservation Reserve acceptance had been denied.” Id. at 26. The letter further stated, “[i]f you feel that we have not properly considered the facts in the ease, you may appeal this decision to the State Committee within 15 days of the date of this letter.” Id.

[561]*561Plaintiff appealed the County Committee’s decision to the State Committee arguing that the terms of the lease, in question, provided him with the option to extend its term without further approval from Lucille Stuller or her heirs. Id. at 27. In a letter dated July 19, 1990, the State Committee denied Plaintiffs appeal stating that it supports the County Committee’s determination. Id. at 28. The letter further “stated that Plaintiff “may appeal within fifteen days” to the “Deputy Administrator, State and County Operations Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service_” Id. On March 3, 1991, following a telephonic hearing, the USDA Deputy Administrator of State and County Operations (“USDA Deputy Administrator”) found that “the State committee took appropriate action in determining that the leases presented were not sufficient evidence to substantiate [Plaintiffs] control of the land offered for CRP enrollment for the required period.” Id. at 31. Moreover, the letter stated, “[t]his concludes the administrative appeal rights afforded at 7 C.F.R. Part 780, Appeal Regulations.” Id.

On August 15, 1990, before the USDA Deputy Administrator reached a determination, Plaintiff filed suit in the Southern District of Ohio against the then-Secretary of the USDA alleging that the USDA’s denial of his CRP application was arbitrary and capricious.1 Def.’s App. at 33; Def.’s Mot. at 6. On October 7,1993, the district court entered final judgment denying Plaintiffs claim. Cottrell, 1994 WL 560967 at *1.

Plaintiff appealed the district court’s determination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. On October 11,1994, the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling, stating that the district court “was asked to review a decision made by an arm of the executive branch” as to “whether or not the Secretary wrongfully decided that Cottrell was not eligible to participate in the CRP.” Id. at *3. “The evidentiary material of record amply supports the district court’s decision.” Id.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cottrell v. Vilsack
District of Columbia, 2013
Cottrell v. Vilsack
915 F. Supp. 2d 81 (D.C. Circuit, 2013)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
71 Fed. Cl. 559, 2006 U.S. Claims LEXIS 152, 2006 WL 1645028, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cottrell-v-united-states-uscfc-2006.