I make no secret on this blog that I believe farmers and ranchers should make sure to get contracts in writing, including farm or ranch leases. I want to stress that this is just as important for a family farm where the Landlord and Tenant may be family members. Even if the Landlord and Tenant are different entities (with the …
Upcoming CLE on “Counseling the Local Food Movement”
As I noted in this blog, I’m very excited to announce that the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division’s Agriculture Law Committee will be hosting a CLE webinar on Thursday, May 10, 2012 titled “Counseling the Local Food Movement: What a Practitioner Should Know.” This is a very substantive CLE that will be two hours. …
So What’s Your Number? The ABC’s of FICO’s
I receive a lot of questions from clients regarding credit scores. I think a primer on FICO’s would be appropriate. There are three credit reporting agencies (“CRAs”): Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. I recommend reviewing your credit report annually from each of the three CRAs from www.annualcreditreport.com (as opposed to freecreditreport.com which actually charges you to obtain your credit report instantaneously). …
Fridays With Cari – Upcoming Webinar Series
Thanks to Ranch House Designs, there have been a few changes recently to www.rinckerlaw.com. I would like to bring your attention to the new “Events” page located here. Beginning in November, I am starting a new webinar series titled “Fridays with Cari” that will focus on a myriad of food and agriculture law issues including New York livestock animal cruelty …
Happy Belated Labor Day
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 …
Child Support Calculations in New York
As I wrote in yesterday’s post, divorce is something that affects people of every industry– including farmers, ranchers, and agri-businesses. A party does not necessarily have to be going through divorce to be owed child support. In New York, the court calculates (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) child support based upon the Child Support Standards Act (“CSSA”). The statutory formula is …
Tradition and Technology
Last week I spoke to the New York Farm Bureau (“NYFB”) Young Farmers and Ranchers (“YF&R”) about finding the right balance between tradition and technology. I thought that I would share a few thoughts from my presentation here. 1. The Use of Technology in Agriculture Is Traditional. Farmers and ranchers have always used technological advancements to increase efficiency, quality, safety, …