Proactive Steps for Dairy Farmers Overview For dairy farmers, the health of the herd is the heartbeat of the business. When cows begin to fall ill, milk production drops, or calves die unexpectedly, the emotional and financial toll is staggering. Often, the culprit is an invisible one: stray voltage. While […]Read more »
Insurance
40 posts
Why Farmers Should Be Wary of the “Private Bank” Pitch Overview If you spend any time on farm forums or social media, you’ve probably seen the pitch: “Become your own bank.” Promoters of the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC) tell a compelling story. They suggest that instead of going to the […]Read more »
Borrowing Shouldn’t be a High Stakes Gamble Overview The business of agriculture is inherently risky. From volatile commodity markets and unpredictable weather to the ever-present threat of pests and disease, farmers operate in an environment where success is constantly hanging in the balance. When credit is introduced (often the essential […]Read more »
Overview The advent of drone technology has ushered in a new era for various government inspection processes, offering unparalleled aerial perspectives and efficiencies. However, this technological leap intersects with established legal principles, most notably the "plain view" doctrine. Understanding this intersection is crucial as drones become increasingly integrated into routine […]Read more »
Overview Farming and ranching businesses operate on thin margins. The way ag economists measure it the operating margin for farming and ranching operations typically refers to the percentage of revenue remaining after covering operating expenses, excluding interest and taxes. It's an important measure of profitability and financial efficiency in agricultural […]Read more »
Merger Clauses in Contracts Normally the terms of a written contract define the parameters of a deal. That’s particularly the case if the contract contains a “merger” clause. That’s a clause that says the terms of the written agreement constitute the entire understanding of the parties. But, without a merger […]Read more »
Overview I have started a new Substack that contains the “Rural Practice Digest.” You can access it at mceowenaglawandtax.substack.com. While I will post other content from time-to-time that is available without a paid subscription, the Digest is for paid subscribers. The inaugural edition is 22 pages in length and covers […]Read more »
Overview Today’s article addresses several current and recurring issues in the fields of law and taxation that are of importance to farmers and ranchers. Right to Repair Agribusinesses can exert power over farmers through limits on technology use and access, as well as by other agreements that producers sign to […]Read more »
Overview The world of ag law and tax never stops revolving. That’s probably not always a good thing for farmers and ranchers. I suspect many involved in agriculture would appreciate less involvement of law and tax in their lives and their business operations. But it’s the reality which means that […]Read more »
Overview On August 7-8 in beautiful Coeur d’ Alene, ID, Washburn Law School the second of its two summer conferences on farm income taxation as well as farm and ranch estate and business planning. A bonus for the ID conference will be a two-day conference focusing on various ag legal […]Read more »