Category

Farm Law

FSA is Back to Work – And SVS Provides Title Work to FSA Borrowers

With the government shutdown behind us, the Farm Service Agency can get back to work helping farmers. One way they do that is to offer loans to farmers and ag enterprises. There are a number of loan products, as identified here.  My office provides title work to FSA offices who...
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The Legal Costs of Rising Farm Prices Impact Farmers’ Pocketbooks

Anyone who lives in a rural area knows that farm prices are through the roof right now. For those selling farmland, it’s great news. But many of the farmers I talk to are worried about the high costs. Beyond the simple “It’s too expensive to buy land right...
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Family farms: A model of business

The Atlantic magazine recently published a great article about family farms and how they’ve weathered changes on the industry to become hugely successful. This is the type of farming I see in my corner of Minnesota. The farms are all owned by families. While they may have...
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Farmers, CDLs, Cell Phones & Trucks

Everyone knows the laws about commercial trucking are complicated. So when you mix ag laws, farmers operating semi-trucks for their own farms, cell phone use, and commercial driver's licenses, you have an interesting mix of rules and exceptions. Here are a couple things farmers...
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Farmers Now Must Record Concrete & Rebar Burial

Did you know that farmers aren’t supposed to bury concrete in their own yards unless they record legal notice of its location? Minnesota Statute requires landowners to file an Affidavit Regarding Farm Disposal of Solid Waste.
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Planning to Pass on the Farm – Ag Succession Planning

Farming involves a lot of tough decisions and specialized knowledge. Farmers have to know when to hurry to the field in the middle of the night because a big storm is coming at 6:00 am and the whole chemical application schedule will be thrown off by missing these next 12 hours. ...
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Farm Kids Not Allowed to Work? DOL Rules target youth and teens on farms.

A proposed change in youth farm worker regulations would prohibit farm kids under 16 from operating most machinery or working with livestock for pay.
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Missing Pigs & Neighbor Relations – Protecting Neighbors from Smells and Pigs from Thieves

The New York Times reports that pig thefts are on the rise in the Midwest, especially in Minnesota and Iowa.  If you’ve ever seen a hog finishing barn, you know that many large pigs live together in long housing facilities.  These barns are often located away from towns,...
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Ag News – Farm Bill, Pig Farms, and Wind Farm Construction

A synopsis of farm events in the news, including the new farm bill, pig farms and the right to farm, and wind farm windmill construction projects.
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Agriculture a “Bright Spot” in a Down Economy – Earnings, Incomes increase in 2010

At a time when many farm families are struggling, it’s encouraging to hear good news about farm profits.  The Star Tribune recently reported that “Agriculture rebounded sharply in Minnesota, but gains weren’t evenly spread.”  Although not all farmers...
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