Congratulations! Your farm business has grown, and you are in dire need of hiring some help. Enter employment law – specifically, agricultural employment law. Join our one-hour webinar to learn the general laws that you are required to follow as an agricultural employer. We will cover important pay considerations, how to get employees properly set up, and best practices to avoid discrimination lawsuits. After this session, you will feel confident to make your first hires.
Location: United States
Resolving Challenging Issues through Agricultural Mediation
Sometimes, as a farmer, you find yourself stuck or facing a conflict. Whether your business has been threatened, a creditor is hounding you, or a neighbor is making complaints about your farm, you are not alone. The USDA’s certified Agricultural Mediation programs can help you through these situations.
The mediation program is a free service that gives all voices an opportunity to be heard and work together toward a solution that works for everyone. In this webinar, you will have a chance to meet Agricultural mediators in New England. They will give you an overview of the program and share some stories that illustrate the effectiveness of their work.
Presenter: Matt Strassberg, Director of the Environmental Mediation Center
Understanding Purchase and Sale Agreements
A purchase and sale agreement is the document that establishes the steps of the transaction, as well as the responsibilities of the Seller and the Buyer. Purchasing real estate can seem like a complicated process but we will walk you through it.
During this webinar, Massachusetts attorney Richard Cavanaugh of Common Grow, LLC will discuss typical provisions in a purchase and sale agreement. He will also cover some other issues – like zoning and wetland restrictions – that you should consider when deciding whether or not to buy a property.
Presenter: Attorney Rich Kavanaugh, Common Grow LLC.
What is Mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary process in which a neutral third party (the mediator) assists the parties in resolving their dispute or conflict by facilitating their negotiation. Mediation can be used as an alternative to a lawsuit. This guide will go through the ins and outs of mediation as well as the advantages of it as a tool for conflict resolution.
Decidir la estructura apropriada para su negocio
Seleccionar una estructura de negocios es una de las primeras decisiones a tomar cuando se comienza con un negocio agrícola o de alimentos. La estructura que usted escoge influencia las operaciones del día a día, cómo pagará los impuestos e inclusive cuánto de sus posesiones personales está en riesgo. Esta Guía Relámpago les muestra a los agricultores y negociantes de alimentos cómo diferenciar los tipos de estructuras de negocios. Usted aprenderá sobre:
- propiedades individuales,
- sociedades generales,
- compañías de responsabilidad limitada (LLCs), y
- corporaciones.
La guía compara los requerimientos para la formación de negocios, responsabilidades e impuestos por pagar para las diferentes estructuras. Use esta guía útil para comenzar su exploración de la estructura de negocios más apropiada para usted.
Exenciones de responsabilidad para actividades agrícolas dentro de la finca
Las fincas frecuentemente son anfitrionas de actividades que atraen visitas a la finca, como visitas de escuelas a la finca, días de voluntariado y agroturismo. Dichos eventos ofrecen oportunidades valorables para incrementar ingresos y hacer crecer el alcance al público sobre la finca. Pero, los accidentes pasan — particularmente a los visitantes que no están familiarizados con los peligros que generalmente se encuentran en una finca. A los agricultores frecuentemente se les aconseja que pidan a sus visitantes que firmen un documento de exención de responsabilidad. Pero ¿Cómo es que un documento de exención de responsabilidad puede reducir la responsabilidad legal de una finca? ¿Pueden reducir el riesgo de responsabilidad de la finca y posibles demandas en contra de la finca si un visitante tiene un accidente? Esta guía legal discute cómo utilizar los documentos de exención de responsabilidad, lo que éstos pueden lograr, y qué debe incluirse en un documento de exención de responsabilidad bien redactado.
Lo básico de los impuestos sobre el salario
Las reglas que gobiernan los impuestos sobre el salario pueden ser complicadas. Los impuestos sobre el salario generalmente son calculados como un porcentaje del salario del empleado. Las fincas que emplean a trabajadores, deben retener dinero de los cheques de pago de sus empleados, emitir dichas cantidades retenidas a las autoridades de impuestos apropiadas, y declarar los impuestos sobre el salario a las agencias federales y estatales. Esta guía hace un esquema sobre qué son los impuestos sobre el salario y cómo y dónde pagarlos. Después de leer esta guía usted sabrá:
- ¿qué son los impuestos sobre el salario y quién es responsable de los pagos?
- las especificaciones de los diferentes tipos de impuestos sobre el salario
- las exenciones especiales dadas a los empleados en agricultura
Selling Farm Products Through Online Food Hubs
In response to market changes, many local farmers have started selling their farm products directly to customers through local food hubs. Farm produce and local value-added products go right from the farmer, cook or baker to a delivery hub where orders are assembled and prepared for delivery or pick-up. Before you sell your products through a local food hub, you need to understand what may be required of you. This legal guide discusses:
• Pros and cons of participating in a food hub
• Vendor agreements with a local food hub
Running a Farmer Operated Food Hub
In response to market changes, many local farmers have started selling their farm products directly to customers through other farmers. Farm produce and local value-added products go right from the farmer, cook or baker to another farmer or business where orders are assembled and prepared for delivery or pick-up. This model is generally known as a food hub. If you are considering setting up a local food hub, this guide outlines the following legal considerations to keep in mind:
• Forming a separate entity
• Terms and conditions of agreements between farmers or vendors
• When a warehouse license must be obtained
• Collecting sales tax
• When a 1099-K must be issued
Home Delivery of Farm Products
Local farmers are adjusting their business operations to incorporate new ways of getting their products to customers and seizing the opportunity to add new marketing channels to their existing farm businesses. For many farmers, this shift has meant delivering products directly to the doors of their customers. If you are a farmer engaged or considering engaging in home delivery of farm products, this guide outlines some legal considerations to keep in mind.
¿Cómo trabajar con un abogado?
Aún cuando usted mismo puede tomar cuidado de muchas necesidades legales, a veces se necesita ayuda o información por parte de un abogado. Aprenda cómo trabajar de la mejor manera con su abogado para obtener los resultados que usted quiere. Su abogado probablemente le hará muchas preguntas durante su primer encuentro. Aquí tiene cómo estar listo para dicho encuentro, y cómo preparar lo más importantes de sus propias preguntas.
Step-by-Step Guide to Forming a Limited Liability Company
This legal guide discusses the features and obligations of operating your business as a limited liability company (“LLC”) and provides step-by-step instructions for forming an LLC including:
- How to register an LLC
- What to include in an operating agreement
- Additional filings to be aware of
Protecting Your Recipes: Trade Secrets and More
Mary Rose Scozzafava, Senior Fellow at Conservation Law Foundation presents a webinar on how best to protect your recipes as a food entrepreneur. Topics include: challenges to protecting recipes, trade secret, trademark, and using the recipes of others.
Employment Payroll Tax Basics
The rules governing payroll taxes can be complex. Payroll taxes are generally calculated as a percentage of the employee salary. Farms that employ workers must withhold money from their employees’ paychecks, timely submit withheld amounts to the appropriate tax authorities, and file payroll tax returns with state and federal agencies. This guide outlines what payroll taxes are, and how and when to pay them. After reading this guide you will know:
- what are payroll taxes and who is responsible for paying them
- the different types of payroll taxes
- the special exemptions given to agricultural employees
New England Food Policy Advocacy Guide
This guide is designed to provide organizations and advocates with information, support, and inspiration to promote policy changes that build a more robust and resilient regional food system. The report is intended as a tool to guide individuals, organizations, coalitions, agencies, and policymakers to pursue supportive public policies and remove policy barriers. It was developed by American Farmland Trust, Conservation Law Foundation, and Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.
Copyright Law Basics
Copyright law can seem complicated. But it’s simply a law that says that if you create something, then you own it. For businesses, copyright can apply to things you use everyday such as graphics used on websites and in advertising or blog content. Get to know how to create and protect your copyrights. This guide examines how to protect your own copyrighted materials and avoid improper use of copyrights belonging to others.
FAQs About the Produce Safety Rule
The Produce Safety Rule (PSR) imposes new requirements on farms to ensure the safety of produce consumed by humans. But New England farms tend to be small and to sell directly to consumers. Therefore, New England farms are more likely to be exempt from the Produce Safety Rule or eligible for a Qualified Exemption. Qualified Exemption limits the obligations of a farm under the Produce Safety Rule. This Lightning Guide answers questions small farmers may have about the Produce Safety Rule.
Operating a Sole Proprietorship
As the owner of a farm or food enterprise, you choose how you want to operate it. Choosing the right business structure is important because it affects many aspects of your company. For example, it can influence tax treatment, exposure to risk and liability, and personal control over the business. New farmers or food entrepreneurs often operate as sole proprietors. This legal guide discusses the features and obligations of operating your business is as a sole proprietorship.
How to Choose a Business Structure: A Decision Tree
As a farmer or food business, choosing a business structure is an important decision with important implications for your business and your personal liability. This decision guide, developed by Conservation Law Foundation, walks you through the different business structures you can consider and weighs the advantage and drawbacks of each option. This guide is a great starting point for businesses thinking about what business structure is right for you.
Liability Waivers for On-Farm Activities
Farms often host activities that bring visitors onto the farm, such as school farm visits, volunteer days or agritourism. Such events offer valuable opportunities to increase income and raise awareness of the farm. But, accidents happen — particularly to visitors unfamiliar with hazards typically found on a farm. Farmers frequently are advised to have visitors sign liability waivers. But how can a liability waiver reduce a farm’s legal responsibility? Can they reduce the farm’s risk of liability and potential lawsuits against the farm if a visitor is injured? This legal guide discusses how to use liability waivers, what they can accomplish and what to include in a well-drafted liability waiver.
Deciding on the Right Structure for Your Business
Selecting a business structure is one of the first decisions when starting a food or farm business. The structure you choose influences day-to-day operations, how you pay taxes and even how much of your personal assets are at risk. This Lightning Guide introduces farmers and food entrepreneurs to different types of business structures. You’ll learn about:
- sole proprietorships,
- general partnerships,
- limited liability companies (LLCs), and
- corporations.
The guide compares business formation requirements, liability and taxation for the different structures. Use this handy guide to begin your exploration into the business structure that is right for you.
Introduction to Trademarks
Your business offers fresh, high-quality produce and value-added foods and has built a good reputation in the community. But, can you protect your “brand” — the good-will and trust you have developed for your business? Can you prevent competitors from riding on the coattails of your good reputation? Learn to use strong trademarks effectively. This Lightning Guide sets out how to obtain and protect your trademark and how to identify trademark infringement.
Protecting Your Intellectual Property
This webinar, presented by CLF Senior Fellow and attorney Mary Rose Scozzafava, provides an overview of trademark and copyright law for food entrepreneurs and farmers,. If you are proud of the brand you’ve built and want to understand how best to protect it, this webinar is a great starting point. The webinar includes introductions to the following topics: (1) trademarks, including registering, using, and enforcing your trademark; (2) copyright; (3) patent; and (3) trade secret.