At Legal Food Hub, attorneys help food businesses, pro bonoMainebiz recently highlighted the Legal Food Hub in Maine. |  |
New Workshops Help Farmers Navigate Employment LawNew England farmers looking to hire a farm apprentice or a few employees for the farming season face a web of confusing legal requirements. These requirements can be hard to navigate. For example, what types of farm work qualify for exemptions from minimum wage or overtime? When can a farmer have volunteers help on the […] |  |
Connecticut Farmers and Local Food Businesses Welcome Legal Food HubGetting timely legal assistance can make all the difference for a farm, food business, or community organization. Just ask Suzie Flores and Jay Douglas of Stonington Kelp Company. Suzie and Jay, who operate their new kelp company in Long Island Sound, sought the Legal Food Hub’s help to form a business entity before their first […] |  |
Free Guide Takes Guesswork Out of Hiring for Rhode Island FarmersSarah Turkus knows firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate complex legal issues while running a busy small farm. Sarah has been a farmer and youth educator since 2010 and, in her latest endeavor, manages a nonprofit cooperative farm that opened in 2018. In preparing for the farm’s launch, Sarah wanted to ensure that […] |  |
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDElizabeth Boepple – BCM Environmental Land Law With her focus on farm and food law, Beth is a staunch supporter of the local food system across New England. She has been a champion of the Legal Food Hub since its launch in Maine in 2014. She serves her clients with a wealth of knowledge garnered […] |  |
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDJosh Fox – WilmerHale Josh has been a tremendous partner of the Legal Food Hub in Massachusetts, generously volunteering his valuable time to ensure that farms, food businesses, and nonprofits have the legal advice they need to thrive. As a partner in corporate law at WilmerHale, he has expertise in representing companies throughout the stages […] |  |
Stonington Kelp Co. Formalizes its Business StructureAbout: Suzie Flores and James Douglas operate Stonington Kelp Co., a kelp farm located in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, on Long Island Sound. They started the kelp farm in 2017, leasing their site from the State of Connecticut as participants in a local, innovative sustainable-aquaculture incubation program. Kelp, a zero-input crop, requires no fresh water or fertilizer. It also absorbs […] |  |
Maine Farmers’ Markets Seeks Nonprofit Status & Trademark ProtectionAbout: The Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets (MFFM) is a grassroots farmer-focused nonprofit that serves as a hub and resource for farmers’ markets in Maine. Founded in 1991 as an all-volunteer organization, MFFM hired its first full-time staffer in 2011. They aim to cultivate a sustainable farmers’ market community by working with farmers, consumers, and communities to […] |  |
Crooked Face Creamery Protects Intellectual Property as it GrowsAbout: Born to a milk-making family, Amy Rowbottom makes artisanal cheeses at her company, Crooked Face Creamery. Based in Norridgewock, Maine, the creamery’s signature cheese is her cold-smoked Applewood Smoked Ricotta. Amy sells her award-winning cheeses, which are made with limited ingredients and without preservatives, at farmers’ markets, specialty shops, and farm-to-table restaurants across Maine. Legal […] |  |
Fresh Food Generation Secures Investment FundsAbout: Fresh Food Generation is a Boston-based farm-to-plate food truck and catering company that serves healthy, affordable prepared food inspired by Latin and Caribbean cuisine across Boston. In addition to its food truck and catering business, Fresh Food Generation also boasts a café located at a community health center in Dorchester. The company is dedicated to serving […] |  |