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Please Click HerePosted on April 10, 2018 by Linda M. Danielson
Family farmers face a difficult issue of passing on the farm if there are both on-farm and off-farm heirs. A family farm is a business but also about family. Doing what’s best for both farm and family requires making difficult decisions and sometimes rocking the boat. Most parents try to treat their children equally when […]
Posted on March 29, 2018 by Ruder Ware Alumni
There seems to be a fair amount of confusion among farmers as to what role the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plays in regulating farming operations. Among questions we get are “Do I as a farmer need to care about OSHA?” and “Does OSHA regulate farms the same as other businesses?” There is a […]
Posted on February 15, 2018 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Successful hiring is extremely important, especially in farming where a small group of people are doing complicated stressful work in an outdoor setting. Though not a comprehensive guide to hiring great employees, there are some key steps farmers can follow when hiring an employee. Define the Job – Hiring the right employee starts with understanding the […]
Posted on January 8, 2018 by Melissa S. Kampmann and Shanna N. Yonke
The family farm is a special asset. The family may have worked hard through decades, maybe even generations, to accumulate and develop the farm’s land, equipment and livestock. The children may be grown and successors to farming operations. The older generation may be worried what would happen to the farm if a child were to […]
Posted on December 4, 2017 by Mary Ellen Schill
Workplace retirement programs play an important role in attracting and retaining employees, helping workers (and owners!) save, and provide significant tax advantages. Employer contributions to “qualified” plans (like 401(k) plans) or IRA-based plans are deductible by the business when made, and taxes on the recipients (your employees or even you!) are not imposed until the […]
Posted on November 30, 2017 by Amy E. Ebeling
Are you using the right business entity for your farm or other agribusiness? I have worked with too many clients who have paid additional tax dollars or have been unable to achieve their succession planning goals due to their entity structure. Learn from their mistakes. Selecting and using the right entity is essential to a […]
Posted on November 22, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Last week, Attorney Russell Wilson of Ruder Ware issued a legal update about EPA’s deadline of November 15, 2017 for reporting excessive air emissions of hazardous substances from animal waste at farm operations. In that article Russ also reported on the possibility the deadline might be postponed. That possibility has now become reality. EPA has […]
Posted on November 3, 2017 by Christopher M. Seelen
Flyte Family Farm in Coloma has grown a lot over the years. Not only has Flyte grown tons of crops, but Flyte has also grown its business, which has expanded to five greenhouses and 3200 acres. Adam Flyte and his wife, Carrie, started their business growing corn, soybeans and fresh vegetables, which they sold at […]
Posted on October 23, 2017 by Joseph M. Mella
In Wisconsin, we have a strong tradition of landowners opening up their land to snowmobile clubs, hunters, trappers, cross-country skiers, and other members of the public. While giving visitors the chance to enjoy the outdoors is a great thing owners can do for their neighbors, it does come with risk. What if a snowmobiler crashes […]
Posted on October 20, 2017 by Michael R. Wildeck
Ruder Ware was again one of nearly 900 commercial exhibits from 30 countries at the World Dairy Expo, held October 2-7 in Madison. While last year’s show attracted 74,572 visitors from 102 countries, our own unofficial parking lot comparison estimates an even larger crowd for 2017. The show includes the international shows for seven major […]