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Ag Law News
  
  

March 30, 2023

In this issue:

  

  

  
   Distressed Farmer Looking at Bill   

How to Handle Bankruptcy Amid Record Levels of Debt in the Farm Industry

Scott A. Chernich

The farming and agricultural industry has been dealing with financial challenges even before the pandemic. Those who were in financial jeopardy before the shutdown are forced to rely on taking on even more debt now just to survive. Currently, the sum of debt across the farming sector amounts to a staggering $496 billion according to the USDA. Farm debt has not been seen on this magnitude in decades and now surpasses previous records held from the farm financial crisis in the early 1980s...

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   Workers Loading Hay   

Final Rule Issued on H-2A Visa Regulations

Ryan E. Lamb

Announced on October 6 and published on October 12, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule to amend H-2A certification regulations. The H-2A program allows employers to temporarily address their labor needs by hiring foreign agricultural workers when there are not enough workers that are willing and available. The rule arises from the thousands of comments received by the DOL from Ag and Labor organizations after proposed changes to the H-2A program in 2019...

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Michigan Farm Vehicle Accidents on the Rise

The Detroit News

As farmers wrap up harvest season, Michigan traffic accidents involving farm vehicles are up over last year, officials said.

As of Oct. 28, 2022, there were 168 accidents involving farm vehicles, according to state police reports. By the same time in 2021, there had been about 150 accidents. In 2021, there were 195 traffic accidents and five fatalities involving farm equipment...

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Advising Equine Clients on Risk Management

May 4, 2023

Julie Fershtman is speaking on May 4, 2023 at the 37th Annual National Conference on Equine Law in Kentucky. She is speaking on “Advising Equine Clients on Risk Management”. See more information here.

  

  

  
  

AFBF Signs ‘Right to Repair’ MOU with John Deere

Michigan Farm News

The American Farm Bureau Federation and John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Sunday that ensures farmers’ right to repair their own farm equipment.

The MOU, signed at the 2023 AFBF Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the culmination of several years of discussions with John Deere, according to AFBF President Zippy Duvall, who made the announcement during his annual address.

According to Duvall, the MOU evolved from frustrated members unable to fix their own equipment or work with local independent mechanics...

  

  

  
  

USDA Launches Pilot Cattle Contracts Library

Michigan Farm News

The USDA launched its pilot Cattle Contracts Library, giving producers the mechanism to find key terms, conditions and volumes of cattle contracts.

According to USDA, the library will create transparency for cattle producers, empowering them to negotiate better terms, monitor risks of marketing preferences and pricing practices, and take advantage of market opportunities...

  

  

Lansing

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Southfield

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Grand Rapids

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Detroit

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Holland

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St Joseph

  

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC E-Newsletters are intended for general information for our clients and friends. This newsletter highlights specific areas of law and is not legal advice. The reader should consult an attorney to determine how this information applies to any specific situation.

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