Loved this convo about insurance for farms, ranches and agri-businesses with both Derek Hayden and Andrew Deedrich on this episode of Ag Law Today.
Four Things Business Owners Should Know about Trademark Infringement
Against the backdrop of globalization and the expansion of online business activity, trademark infringement is on the rise. Most elements of business branding—name, logo, design—are readily available online, making it easier for people to knowingly or unknowingly use the intellectual property of others. As a business owner, you must prioritize both protecting your own trademarks and avoiding infringement of others’ …
What Happens to a Limited Liability Company After a Member Dies?
Death is almost always a complicated event for the survivors, who have not only emotional but also logistical considerations to manage. However, when an owner (typically called a member) of a limited liability company (LLC) dies, it exacerbates the difficulties for the surviving members. In addition to bearing the loss, they must determine whether the LLC can or even should …
Preparing Your Business for an Emergency
The year 2020 has been a continuous lesson in the need to prepare for the unpredictable. From the pandemic to natural disasters, businesses have faced numerous challenges that could force them to close. The most common emergencies that businesses typically face fall into three categories: Natural disasters such as floods, fires, and earthquakes Medical emergencies such as the current COVID-19 …
Ask Cari: Can my Small Business Write Off Bad Debts?
Despite your best efforts to work only with customers or clients you believe will pay for the goods or services your business provides and to diligently collect delinquent amounts owed, you will almost inevitably have to deal with bad debts on occasion. In some circumstances, the IRS allows you to take a bad debt deduction. What Is Considered a Business …
Family Law Issues in Agriculture: Fact Sheets with the National Agriculture Law Center
I just love it when my writing hits the press! And I especially love it when it combines my two passion areas — family law and agriculture law. I am honored to have authored the Fact Sheets on family law issues in agriculture with the National Agriculture Law Center. You can review them individually here or the packet here.
Outline Giving Overview Common Agriculture Contracts
You can download my substantive outline discussing a few of the major contractual issues that affect production agriculture on my JD Supra page here. The outline discusses a myriad of contracts issues including: agriculture production contracts, purchase agreements (for land, livestock and farm equipment), leases (for land, livestock and farm equipment), special contracts (e.g., custom feeding arrangements, embryo transfer contracts, …
New York Agriculture Lien Law: Landlord’s Lien
A landlord’s lien used to be superior to other creditors’ claims; however, in New York, it does not arise automatically because a landlord-tenant relationship is created. Landlords who want to retain title to the products of the land against the tenant’s other creditors must explicitly include a provision to that effect in the lease. Both the landlord and tenant should memorialize their …
New York Agriculture Liens: Background
The scope of the revised Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) Article 9 is newly expanded to cover the perfection, priority, and enforcement of nonpossessory “Agricultural Liens” in the farm products of those borrowers involved in farming operations. The definition of “agricultural liens” is different than the broader and more general category of “secured interest”. UCC Article 9 does not supersede any existing statutory …
How to Make a Freedom of Information Act Request- Part 6
This is Part 6 of a 6 Part Blog Series on “How to Make a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) Request“. Make sure to read the previous 5 blog posts to get the full picture! Step 6: Review FOIA Request After the agency has received your fees, it will process your request. The agency may send you a written “initial determination” …
How to Make a Freedom of Information Act Request – Part 5
This is Part 5 of a 6 Part Blog Series on “How to Make a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) Request“. Please stay tuned for the other blogs for the full picture! Step 5: Pay Fees There is no initial fee to file a FOIA request; however, federal agencies are allowed to request “reasonable standard charges for document search, duplication, …