Posted on February 21, 2020 by Christopher M. Seelen
Blog
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
Blog
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 11, 2019 by Linda M. Danielson
Blog
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 August 9, 2019 by Ashley L. Hawley
Blog
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 […]
Posted on June 26, 2019 by Steven P. Lipowski
Blog
It seems sometimes that no good deed goes unpunished. Landowners who permit access to their property for outdoor enthusiasts to engage in their favorite recreational activities – such as camping, hiking and hunting – could risk liability for doing so. But a Wisconsin law called the Recreational Use Immunity statute provides private landowners a layer […]
Posted on April 10, 2018 by Linda M. Danielson
Blog
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
Blog
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 […]