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Please Click HerePosted on March 26, 2020 by Joseph M. Mella
These are unprecedented times for all of us. We continue to receive directives, orders, and suggestions from our local, state and federal governments and their agencies, most of which continue to place additional restrictions on our activities. In an effort to allow real estate transactions to continue, an effort has been made by the Wisconsin […]
Posted on March 23, 2020 by Ruder Ware Alumni
This morning Governor Evers released a statement notifying citizens that he will be issuing a “safer at home”. The impact of this order for individuals and businesses will depend on the wording of the order which is expected to be released tomorrow (Tuesday, March 24th). The governor’s initial statement indicates that the order will, similar to […]
Posted on February 21, 2020 by Christopher M. Seelen
There are many legal rules covering farms – rules that producers might not be aware of. A farm building may not be covered by standard insurance. Farm buildings are exempt from the state building code. And many standard insurance policies exclude coverage for buildings not built to a certain code. Consider the example of a […]
Posted on December 12, 2019 by Ruder Ware Alumni
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, easing immigration for agricultural workers. The bill would give “blue cards” to agricultural workers who have worked at least 180 days on farms over the past two years. They would become eligible for five-year renewable visas that would require working at least 100 […]
Posted on November 17, 2019 by Ruder Ware Alumni
No matter how much credence the old saying “good fences make good neighbors” may hold, Chapter 90 of the Wisconsin Statutes exists to prescribe general rules regarding fences in agricultural areas of Wisconsin. These laws lay out when a fence is required, what a legal fence is, who is responsible for the fence and how […]
Posted on November 11, 2019 by Linda M. Danielson
While most businesses use real estate, unique planning issues arise for family-farm owners because of the importance of real estate to the farm and family. There are several reasons for that. Family farms are not as mobile as other businesses. Family-farm owners usually have strong emotional attachments to the land. They treat the land they […]
Posted on October 4, 2019 by Ruder Ware Alumni
A controversial federal environmental regulation has been repealed, according to an announcement Sept. 12 by the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the assistant secretary of the Army who oversees the Army Corps of Engineers. That means the definition of “Waters of the United States” will return to its pre-2015 definition. That’s important […]
Posted on October 3, 2019 by Steven P. Lipowski
Gone are the days when handshake deals suffice as a contract for a land purchase. I’ll be presenting on Ag Lease Agreements as part of the Agricultural Land Values and Lease Seminar on October 9 at the Rib River Ballroom. I plan to walk attendees through an overview of what leases are (and are not), […]
Posted on September 23, 2019 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended the deadline from September 20 to September 27 for dairy farmers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for 2019. Enacted in the 2018 Farm Bill, this safety-net program offers risk-protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost […]
Posted on August 9, 2019 by Ashley L. Hawley
The family farm has always been unique from an estate-planning perspective. Unlike many traditional businesses, a farm business typically holds a disproportionate amount of illiquid assets such as real estate, equipment, crops and livestock. It often has few liquid assets. Important planning needs to take place to deal with the incapacity or death of family-farm […]