Ronnfeldt Farms v. Arp

Summary

The court held that the manure-management company owed the swine producer a duty of reasonable care, and that following another contractor's instructions did not automatically define or reduce that duty. Nevertheless, the producer failed to present evidence creating a genuine issue of material fact on either alleged breach: pumping at the sow facility after a hog facility was not shown to violate an industry standard, and the company reasonably relied on the coordinating contractor to convey the pumping history. The court therefore directed that summary judgment be affirmed on all negligence claims, while leaving causation unresolved as unnecessary to the disposition.