According to Dean Patricia Salkin in American Bar Association’s “Counseling the Local Food Movement” (May 2012), the following zoning tools can be used to promote small-scale agriculture production within city limits: Comprehensive Plans. This is the over-arching plan upon which land use regulations are adopted. It is important that the comprehensive plan itself emphasize the importance of small-scale commercial agriculture …
Succession Planning for the Family Farm
A few months ago, Feedstuffs magazine published an interesting article by Rod Smith discussing the obstacles that young farmers face. It reminded me of the importance of succession planning for the family farm. “More than a third of U.S. farmers are 65 years old or older, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture” — a statistic that many of us …
I Need Your Votes in the Best of the Barns Competition for “Best Livestock Lawyer”
It’s that time of year again when I asked my beloved readers to take a moment and show their support. Ranch House Designs, Inc. is having its annual Best of the Barns Competition and I have been nominated as the “Best Livestock Lawyer” (Question 18). Voting closes on the 30th of the month (one vote per email address). Last year …
Ask Cari: “When Can I Obtain an Order of Protection in NY Family Court?”
Family Court and Supreme Court has concurrent jurisdiction on family offenses. An indigent person may receive court-appointed representation in Family Court if they are under a certain income threshold. Family Offenses are crimes; therefore, Criminal Court also has jurisdiction over family offenses. In order for one party to bring a family offense petition in Family Court, one of the following …
Join the Convo: U.S. Farmers and Rancher Alliance’s Food Dialogues
Happy Halloween! The U.S. Farmers and Rancher Alliance will be hosting another Food Dialogues on November 15th in New York City starting at 8am ET. The event will be streamed live and you can also participate via WebEx. There are some great panels regarding the impact on the media on consumer choices, antibiotics in food, and biotechnology/GMO’s. You can find …
My Presentation at AALA Regarding My Technology Choices in My Law Practice
I spoke at the American Agriculture Law Association‘s (“AALA”) Annual Agriculture Law Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee on my own technology choices in my law practice You can view my presentation below. [slideshare id=14673383&doc=mytechnologychoicesinmyaglawpractice-121010142927-phpapp01] In case you missed it, this article in the American Bar Association (“ABA”) GP Solo magazine gives a brief overview of my technology choices. Share this Article
Difference Between Owning Property at Death as Tenancy in Common or Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship
I’ve enjoyed reading this book by Neil Harl on farm and estate planning. Harl does a nice job illustrating the difference in holding property at death in Tenancy in Common vs. Joint Tenancy (with rights of survivorship). Harl explains (page 22), “[a]t death of a tenant in common, that individual’s undivided interest passes to that individual’s heirs under state law …
New York Office of Community Gardens
While reading this publication, I was reminded about the New York Office of Community Gardens with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets. Pursuant to NY Ag & Mkts Article 2-C, Section 31-h, the duties of the office are as follows: (1) identify vacant public land suitable for community gardens; (2) coordinate interested community groups with appropriate state or local …
Member of the Technology & Research Roundtable
Howdy! I’m in Nashville, Tennessee at the American Agriculture Law Association (“AALA”) Annual Meeting. I will be speaking tomorrow afternoon on technology in my food & agriculture law practice. If you are at AALA, please make sure to come by. You can find the full list of speakers here. In case you missed it, this article in the American Bar …
Video Presentation from Texas A & M University, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Award Presentation
I was in College Station, Texas last week at my alma mater receiving the Outstanding Early Career Award from Texas A & M University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. You can see the video here. I’m very proud to have gone to a program that upholds integrity and a code of ethics in addition to intellectual horsepower and discovery. …
A Quick Review on Land Use Law
I have enjoyed reading through the Harvard Law School’s Food Law & Policy Clinic’s publication titled “Good Laws, Good Food: Putting Local Food Policy to Work for Our Communities.” Section III (beginning on page 30) does a nice job giving a cursory overview of land use law. As the article correctly states, the authority to regulate land use is derived …
Texas A & M University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Early Career Award
Exciting news! I’m flying to College Station, Texas this morning. Tomorrow I will be receiving an Early Career Award from Texas A & M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (along with Ms. Rachel Cutrer from Ranch House Designs, Inc.). I am incredibly humbled by this award and very thankful to all my friends and family who have supported …