When it comes to passing a family operation from one generation to the next, few topics are more important or more emotional than farm succession planning in Illinois. Yet many families delay or overlook key legal details, leaving their legacy vulnerable to conflict, taxes, or even loss of the family land. Avoiding these common legal mistakes can help ensure your …
Running a farm with a business partner can be rewarding, but when differences arise, ending that partnership can quickly become complicated. A farm partnership breakup in Illinois often involves not just financial and legal concerns, but also emotional and family dynamics. In this blog, we share 10 practical ways to navigate a smooth farm partnership breakup so you can protect …
I will be moderating a webinar titled “Overview of Employment and Labor Law for Farms and Ranches” on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 from 2:00- 4:00 ET for the American Bar Association’s General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division’s Agriculture Law Committee. Other faculty include Rachel Armstrong (Farm Commons), Kimbery Clarke (Varum LLP), Edward Cox (Drake University Agriculture Law Center), Karen Eichman …
Last month, I had an opportunity to visit with someone at Grow NYC (who runs Greenmarket), who shared this report with me (funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation): “Farmers on the Edge: An Assessment of Greenmarket Farmers’ Needs, and the Growing Challenges of Keeping Their Farms Viable.” I finally had an opportunity to review the report in detail. It …
Last month, I spoke to a group of Texas 4-H kids at a Texas A & M University via Skype about my work as an agriculture lawyer in New York City. I was asked to share a bit about my path and how I become an agriculture lawyer in the Big Apple. Here was my response: I grew up on …
Sustainability has been a big buzz word in agriculture over the last few years – but what does it mean? In preparation for this presentation that I gave earlier this month, I found the “legal definition” of “sustainable agriculture” here. Pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 3103, “sustainable agriculture” means an “integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific …
Yesterday I had an opportunity to talk about being an agriculture lawyer to an undergraduate agriculture careers class in Wisconsin via Skype. I remember being that age and not really knowing what I wanted to do. To tell you the truth, I grew up looking up to Colleen Callahan and wanted to *be* her…with a career in agriculture journalism/communications. For …
Rincker Law, PLLC is a proud “Friend of the Farmer” business sponsor for the Long Island Small Farm Summit scheduled on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at Hofstra University. The event has a great agenda chalk full of valuable educational workshops ranging from business planning, direct consumer marketing, laws affecting the local food movement, and “Neighbor-Supported Agriculture.” The afternoon has practical …
I hope all of my readers had a wonderful Labor Day. I had a great time at the New York State Fair over the weekend with my father. You can find several of the pictures that I took during the open beef show on my Twitter page (@CariRincker). I always gain a newfound passion for the food industry every time …
As I noted in this previous post, I am the new Chair of the American Bar Association (“ABA”), General Practice, Solo and Small Firm’s Division, Agriculture Law Committee. You can join the Committee and the Discussion List here. I have restructured the subcommittees as follows: 1. Ag ADR: mediation, arbitration 2. Ag Estate/Succession Planning, Family Law, and Taxation: estate planning,succession …
I will be at the New York State Fair (“NYSF”) in Syracuse from August 29-30 and September 1-2. State Fair time is my favorite time of year. I am a big believer in 4-H and believe that hard work teaches kids how to become good people. I attribute most of my success in life to the fact that I have …