PRINCESS ANNE, MD – (January 25, 2018) – A winter workshop for farmers with business and/or legal concerns is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, in the Richard A. Henson Center from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“The workshop is a one-stop-shop opportunity for farmers to get a lot of information in a short amount of time from a variety of experts who will cover the general business and legal concerns many farmers encounter and what they need to be aware of in operating a farm business,” said Nicole Cook, environmental and agricultural faculty legal specialist with the Agriculture Law Education Initiative at UMES.
In the morning plenary session, attendees will learn about the protections that different business structures can provide farming businesses, the liability risks that accompany farming and strategies for managing those risks.
A robust offering of mid-morning breakout sessions will follow the morning plenary with topics that include, but are not limited to, lending or financing, labor and employment issues, taxes and farm liability. Agricultural lenders and representatives from Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, MARBIDCO, the Small Business Development Center and the Farm Service Agency will be on hand to participate. In addition, a certified public accountant will be available to address tax-related matters.
The primary goal of the event is to equip farmers with the understanding of business and legal principles associated with managing a farm operation while complying with the complex network of laws and policies protecting the integrity of the state’s food system and environment.
The Business & Legal Considerations for Your Farm Workshop is sponsored by the IFARMS Project and the Agriculture Law Education Initiative. Registration costs $15 per person and includes access to all breakout sessions, educational materials and lunch. To register, visit business&legal2018.eventbrite.com.
For more information visit www.umessmallfarm.com or contact Berran Rogers (blrogers@umes.edu) at 410-651-6070/7729 or Nicole Cook (nlcook@umes.edu) at 410-651-6182.
About IFARMS:
IFARMS is a grant funded initiative implemented by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Small Farm Program. Its overall goal is to provide access to resources and management solutions that will increase a farmer’s ability to start and maintain successful agricultural businesses. Program deliverables include educational workshops, field demonstrations, and mini bus tours. For more information, visit www.umessmallfarm.com, call 410-651-6070/6693 or email Program Coordinator Berran Rogers at blrogers@umes.edu.
About ALEI:
The Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) is a collaboration of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB); the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP); and the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. ALEI is an initiative of the University of Maryland: MPowering the State, a strategic alliance between UMB and UMCP created in 2012 to significantly expand research, business development, and student opportunities at both universities. For more information, visit www.umaglaw.org.
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Suzanne Waters Street, agriculture communication specialist, UMES – University of Maryland Extension, 410-651-6084, sstreet@umes.edu.
Photo credit: canstockphoto/Altsha
