I will be on Heritage Radio Network out of Brooklyn tomorrow, Tuesday, January 14, 2014 from 4-4:30pm ET during the Greenhorns Radio spot. My interview focuses heavily on the farm estate and succession planning (not purposefully – it’s just the way the conversation went). I’m a huge believer that families should have open and candid conversations about succession planning of …
My Food and Agriculture Law Book is now Available on Kindle!
You can now purchase the electronic copy of Field Manual: Legal Guide for New York Farmers and Food Entrepreneurs on Kindle for $9.99 (or $2.99 if you already own the hard copy of the book) here. I don’t own a Kindle but I did download the Kindle application on my iPad. After a quick purchase on Amazon.com, Kindle uploaded it …
Personal Finance – Smart Women Finish Rich
Hope you are having a lovely holiday season. I’m home visiting family in Illinois right now at the Rincker Ranch. This blog is long overdue. I enjoyed reading this book last summer beachside in Coney Island. A friend of mine, Jeanne Berger, one of the top financial advisors at Chase Bank, suggested “Smart Women Finish Rich” by David Bach to …
C-Corp, S-Corp, B-Corp- Huh? What’s Best for Your Food and Agriculture Operation
Under NY Business Corporation Law (“BCL”), a corporation is formed in New York by filing a Certificate of Incorporation with the NYS Department of State. Individual shareholders will not be held personally liable for the debt of the corporation unless the “corporate shield” can be pierced. The corporate shield can be pierced in New York if a court finds that the …
Lawline Lecture: Counseling the Local Food Movement
As I noted in this post, last month, I enjoyed presenting at Lawline on Counseling the Local Food Movement Part II. It was Part III of a Three Part series that I did at Lawline this fall on food and agriculture law. In this presentation, I discuss I discuss Food Safety Modernization Act, the National Organic Program, Right-to-Farm law, backyard …
Some Thoughts on Bull Partnership Agreements
Are you going *in* on a bull partnership? Getting a written bull partnership agreement is a way to help ensure that everyone is on the same page. Here are some thoughts for a bull partnership agreement. 1. Who are the original business partners and ownership shares? 2. Will unanimous or majority consent be required if a partner decides to sell …
Partnerships – A Common Entity Choice for Food and Agriculture Operations
At one point or another, most food and agriculture operations form a partnership with another person or entity. Perhaps it is a partnership on a single head of livestock (e.g., stallion, bull, boar, show heifer) or perhaps it is a more long-term partnership where profits and losses will be shared among family members or multiple people and entities. Partnerships can happen …
How Organization Can Help You Save Money in Your Divorce
I help people through the emotional, life-changing experience of a divorce. A new chapter awaits on the other side. But first, the parties have to get through the divorce process. There is a lot of financial transparency in a divorce. The parties each have the legal right to financial disclosures from the other party. If the parties choose to go …
Upcoming Farm Commons Webinars for Farmers
Rachel Armstong of Farm Commons has put together a killer list of webinars on a myriad of legal topics important for farmers, among them include: – Overview of Farm Legal Issues – Community Supported Agriculture Legal Issues – Hosting On-Farm Events – Workers and Employees -Selling Products to Larger Buyers -Starting a Farm -Adding Value to Farm Products -Food Safety …
Overview of “Sealed” Divorce Papers in New York
New York has stronger privacy laws with divorces when compared to other states. Under New York Domestic Relations Law (“DRL”) § 235, pleadings to a matrimonial action are sealed for 100 years (in other words, for your lifetime). Only the parties themselves or the attorneys’ of record may obtain the court files. However, the court may order for the divorce …