Dr. Becker's research interests focus on legal, economic and policy issues affecting rural landowners, farm operators, agribusiness firms, state and local governments and professional advisors to these groups. This work has developed along two general lines. The first involves consideration of legal rules and regulations that impact on the organization and operation of a farm or agribusiness enterprise. These issues include the choice of business organization, intergenerational transfers of the enterprise, labor law and regulation, land use regulation, sales and secured transactions involving agricultural products and preservation of agricultural land. The second involves consideration of environmental policy as reflected in laws and regulations that impact on the public, and more specifically focusing on rural property owners and business operators. These issues focus on the formation and implementation of policy goals, objectives and strategies created for a specific purpose. From 1997 to 2000 he served as Director of Research at the Agricultural Law Research and Education Center at Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law.

Recent Representative Publications

Publications authored by John C. Becker

"Landowner or Occupier Liability for Personal Injuries and Recreation Use Statutes: How Effective is the Protection?" Indiana University Law Review 23(2):1587-1615 (1991).

"Promoting Agricultural Development Through Land Use Planning Limits." Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Journal, 36(4): 612-669. (2002). This publication was selected for inclusion in the 2003 Zoning and Planning Law Handbook , pps. 507-553, printed by the Thomson Group (2003).

“Land and Natural Resource Management Strategies: A Historical Analysis” printed in the proceedings of a conference, “Land Resources Management Under Conditions of Market Economy” held in Lviv, Ukraine, in May, 2004 under the supervision of Professor Anatoliy Soknych of the Lviv State Agricultural University.

“Looking Back and Looking Forward” Drake Journal of Agricultural Law 9(1) :1-8 (2004).

“Waterkeeper Alliance et al. v. EPA:  Why It Is Important”  Environmental Law Reporter,  36 (7) 10566-10575 (2006).

Publications authored by John C. Becker and others:

Pitulla, Joan P. and J. C. Becker. "Practice Settings That Raise Ethical Issues for Agricultural Lawyers." William Mitchell Law Review 19(2):601-626 (1993).

Becker, John C. and Robert G. Haas. A The Status of Workers as Employees or Independent Contractors. Drake Journal of Agricultural Law, 1(1):51-72 (1996).

Abdalla, Charles W. and John C. Becker. "Jurisdictional Boundaries, Who Should Make the Rules of the Regulatory Game?" Drake University Journal of Agricultural Law, 3(1):7-33 (1998).

Maynard, Leigh J., Timothy W. Kelsey, Stanford M. Lembeck, John C. Becker. "Early Experience with Pennsylvania's Conservation Easement Program." Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 53(2):106-112 (1998).

Wage, Charles L.E. and John C. Becker. "Timber Theft and Trespass in Pennsylvania." Pennsylvania Bar Quarterly January, 1999.

Abdalla, Charles W., John C. Becker et al. “Community Conflicts Over Intensive Livestock Operations: How and Why Do Such Conflicts Escalate?” The Drake Journal of Agricultural Law 7(1) 1-36 (2002).

Becker, John C., Matthew S. Kaplan and Jon Nussbaum,  “Family Farm Succession Planning: Balancing Professional Responsibility with Client needs for Help with Family Relationship Issues” 16(1) San Jaoquin Agricultural Law Review 1-36 (2007).

Penn State University Publications:

Becker, J. C.  Property Rights Interests and Perspectives.  Farm Economics (2002).

Becker, John C. “Introduction to Agricultural Law”, Cases and Materials, Penn State University Printing Services (1998-2007).

Jacobson, Michael G. and John C. Becker. “Estate Planning Strategies and Opportunities for Forest Landowners” Penn State University 2002.