Farm Commons Webinars

Farm Commons will be hosting 11 webinars in 2015.  Farm Commons works directly with farmers to help them with business legal issues that hinder farmers from achieving their goals.

Our 2015 Webinars:

• Hosting Safe, Legally Secure Farm Events
• Adding Value Without Adding Legal Liability To Farm Products
• Farmland Leases Built to Last: Content and Legal Context
• Food Safety Liability And Regulations For The Farm
• Sales Contracts for Farm Produce: Why and How
• Making Employment Law Work For Your Farm
• Farm Sole Proprietorships, LLCs, S Corps, C Corps, and Coops: Which? Why? How?
• Going In-Depth With CSA Farm Law
• Getting Farm Work Done Legally With Interns, Apprentices, And Volunteers
• Financing A Farmland Purchase: Legal basics for traditional and non-traditional farmland purchases
• Efficiently Manage Your Farm’s Risks With Insurance   

Farmland Leases Built to Last: Content and Legal Context

Leasing farmland is so commonplace farmers may not think twice about the lease itself… until things go wrong. Don’t let misunderstandings with landowners hinder your farm. Prevent problems with a strong lease that addresses water usage, equipment access, payment strategies, dispute resolution procedures, long-term concerns, and termination processes, plus more. Negotiating tactics and various laws affecting farmland leases will be on the agenda.
Monday, January 19th at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Food Safety Liability and Regulations For The Farm

We’ve been hearing all about the upcoming regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act. But, as important as it is, farm liability for food safety goes beyond this new law. A food safety incident has potentially disastrous implications for any direct-to-consumer farmer. We’ll talk about how a food safety incident plays out, from lawsuits to recalls and contract breaches. Most importantly, we’ll talk about ways to protect farmers.

Tuesday, January 20th at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Sales Contracts for Farm Produce: Why and How

Everyone loves local food! Consumers, restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and child care facilities are buying more and more product. No matter the size of the buyer, a good relationship between buyer and farmer is key to making these sales profitable over the long-term. The right sales agreement- a written one that addresses ordering, cancellation, and payment terms- can help keep everyone happy. Learn how and why farmers should pay attention to the "terms" of their sales and strongly consider writing down sales agreements.

Monday, February 2nd at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Making Employment Law Work for Your Farm

Employment law is probably the single most complex legal concern for farmers. Especially for the diversified farm, navigating farm and non-farm employment law is no walk in the park. This webinar will break down federal minimum wage, workers’ compensation and overtime, plus migrant worker laws. (They apply to more than just migrant workers!) Worker-exchange programs, independent contractors, employment manuals, injury liability, discrimination and a host of other concerns round out the discussion. Checklists and flowcharts will help make the process easy.
Tuesday, February 3rd at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Farm Sole Proprietorships, LLCs, S Corps, C Corps, and Coops: Which? Why? How? (Advanced)

Many farms operate as a sole proprietorship but growing numbers of farmers are choosing an LLC instead. Learn what an LLC or corporation can and cannot do to protect the farm business. A any solid business entity also needs managing paperwork. Learn what an operating agreement or bylaws can do for the farm and what to write into them. We’ll also discuss options for cooperative ventures, entity structures to pass on the farm business, and some tax aspects of business entities.

Monday, February 23rd at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Going In-Depth With CSA Farm Law (Advanced)

In this webinar, farmers will get in-depth tools to move forward on managing sales, drop-site, volunteer, and worker share matters. We’ll also discuss some of the more unique CSA programs like farmers’ market pre-pay programs and multi-farm cooperative CSAs. Farmers who’ve already attended one of Farm Commons’ basic CSA law programs will get a lot out of this advanced session.

Tuesday, February 24th at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website! 

Getting Farm Work Done Legally With Interns, Apprentices, And Volunteers (Advanced)

CSA is an incredibly unique relationship between farmer and customer. But, this means it also has unique legal dynamics. CSA farmers who critically analyze their membership agreement, drop sites, and farm event programs beforehand set themselves up for success. Learn how an attorney sees CSA and what you can do to protect your farm. This webinar will also discuss risks with farm volunteer programs and buying the right insurance.
Monday, March 2nd at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Financing A Farmland Purchase: Legal basics for traditional and non-traditional farmland purchases (Advanced)
Finding money to purchase land and capital is a huge issue for many farmers. Bank loans, land contracts (aka contracts for deed), and family financing offer some solutions. The legal language behind promissory notes, security agreements, land contracts, and mortgages isn’t just “boilerplate.” Farmers will learn the basics behind these documents. Farmers are also exploring new opportunities such as crowdsourcing funds from farm customers, friends, and members. To avoid costly fines, farmers must pay attention to the state and federal securities laws that affect these opportunities. This webinar will give farmers knowledge of the legal basics when financing farmland.

Monday, March 23rd at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!

Efficiently Manage Your Farm’s Risks with Insurance (Advanced)   

Insurance is vital to build a resilient farm but it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. What’s a farm liability policy and is it the same as a property/casualty policy? How does it work with a homeowner’s policy? Is workers’ compensation required and how does it work? If that isn’t enough, we also have to think about commercial policies for value-added products and farm events. Crop insurance is also important- we’ll learn about the latest and most affordable options. Find the right policies for you with this webinar.

Tuesday, March 24th at Noon, Central. (10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern)  Register now at our website!