Media and Marketing 101

As a small business, you are likely using emails, text, and social media to advertise your business and communicate with your customers. You may also have your own webpage spotlighting customer reviews and other content. With all these forms of social media and communication comes a web of laws that are difficult to navigate. During this webinar, a team of attorneys from Bernstein Shur will help you detangle these laws. We will cover topics such as email, text, and social media marketing, claim substantiation, website policies, the proper use of logos and other copyrighted material, endorsements, testimonials, and customer reviews, and other hot topics in advertising law.

Presenters: Attorneys Elliot Brake, Kevan Lee Deckelmann, Chad W. Higgins, Matthew J. Saldaña

Labeling Your Food Product

Small food businesses and farms with value-added processing often sell their products locally, but understanding the Food and Drug Administration’s rules for labeling those products can be challenging. This webinar will prepare you to feel confident creating a food label and selling your product.

Presenters: Rachel Gartner & Zac Maciejewski, Faegre, Drinker Biddle and Reath.

Starting your Farm or Food Business: Succession Planning

When you’re forming your LLC or other business entity, it is important to plan for the future. This webinar will prepare you with key questions to consider about succession planning when forming your business.

Presenter: Kim Memmesheimer, Hoefle, Phoenix, Gormley & Roberts, PLLC.

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.

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

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.

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.