In April of 2014, Vermont became the first state in the United States to require that all food products sold within the state of Vermont have a label indicating if it contains genetically modified ingredients. The law also prohibits manufacturers from writing “natural” or “all-natural” if a food product does contain GMOs. The law goes into effect in July 2016, …
My National Overview of Agriculture Law
[slideshare id=53657806&doc=powerpoint-keynote-151007171431-lva1-app6892] This presentation was given as the keynote at the Tennessee College of Law’s Agriculture Law & Policy Symposium a few weeks ago. It covers a myriad of food and agriculture law topics including Veterinary Feed Directive, Waters of the United States, Syngenta Litigation, GMO Labeling, Country of Origin Labeling, Raw Milk, Food Safety Modernization Act, Idaho’s Ag Gag …
Heading to Tennessee for a Keynote and Panel Discussion on Direct Farm Marketing
I will be taking off next week for Tennessee for the Tennessee College of Law’s Agriculture Law & Policy Symposium, “A Look into the Field: Food and Agriculture Law and Policy” on October 9, 2015 in Knoxville, Tennessee. I am participating in a panel discussion titled “Agri-Tourism, CSA’s and Direct to Consumer Sales” – as I noted previously, you can …
Using Life Insurance as a Farm Estate Planning Tool
Life insurance is a way to increase an estate’s value just by paying a monthly premium. In the case of a farm, the life insurance can be taken out by the parent, or by a child on the life of a parent. This can help alleviate complications that can arise if certain children wish to take over the farm and …
7 Important Farm Succession Planning Factors
Farmland is an important asset that should not be forgotten during estate or business planning. Even if farms will be passed down to future generations, estate planning should ensure that the parents are well taken care of for the remainder of their lives; provide for distribution of assets to descendants or other groups, individuals, or charities. Farm succession planning is …
My “Ag Gag” Law Presentation Focusing on Preventative Practices for Farms
I had the opportunity to speak on “Ag Gag” Legislation this past week before the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Animals and the Law. My presentation focused on procedures for farms to help prevent a problem with undercover surveillance from employees. You can view my presentation below and my handout giving an overview of the laws here. [slideshare id=46222274&doc=aggag-150324092612-conversion-gate01]