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 The webinars are free, but you must register at
http://farmcommons.org/webinars to attend. You then
have two options: you can view the webinar at your own
home/office or you can attend at the University of Illinois
Extension office, 700 S. Airport Drive in Springfield.
Each webinar will provide lots of time for questions, input from
farmers themselves, and true stories about folks who have been
there. In Springfield, we will have local experts at each of the
webinars including Andy Heck, Prairie City Farm, Wes King,
Executive Director, Illinois Stewardship Alliance and Rebecca
Osland, an attorney in Springfield, providing legal advice and
planning services to people involved in local food and local
businesses.
The featured webinars will include:
The Beginning Farmer’s Introduction to Farm Law
Monday, December 8,
2:00-3:30 p.m.
Beginning farmers will get a preview of the many legal issues
they should consider when just starting out with farming. What
business entity should a farmer choose? Which insurance policies
are really important? What about that farmland lease- when
should it be written down and what should it say? Is there
anything to know about farmers’ market sales, volunteers, or
working with family members? This webinar will touch on all of
these questions and more.
Put Your CSA on Strong Legal Footing
Tuesday, December 9,
2:00-3:30 p.m.
CSA is an incredibly unique relationship between farmer and
customer. But, this means it also has unique legal dynamics. CSA
farmers who critically analyze their membership agreement, drop
sites, and farm event programs beforehand set themselves up for
success. Learn how an attorney sees CSA and what you can do to
protect your farm. This webinar will also discuss risks with
farm volunteer programs and buying the right insurance.
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Hosting Safe, Legally Secure Farm Events
Monday, January 5,
2:00-3:30 p.m.
On-farm events are a great way to build support in the community.
And, they’re a lot of fun! But as the saying goes, it’s only fun
until someone loses an eye. Make sure your farm isn’t left with the
short end of the stick after a good-intentioned event goes bad. From
zoning compliance to guest injuries and serving prepared food, we’ll
work through a checklist of things a farm should address before
hosting an event.
Adding Value without Adding Legal Liability to Farm Products
Tuesday, January 6,
2:00-3:30 p.m.
Although starting a processing operation, improving packaging, and
developing new products are great ways to make the farm more
profitable, these activities have a huge legal impact. Employment
laws, liability potential, state/federal regulations, and tax
factors all change when a farm begins to process product. Farms
relying on cottage food laws should make sure to attend- we’ll talk
about what these laws do not do to protect farms.
For more information, contact Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, Extension
Educator at 217-782-4617,
cvnghgrn@illinois.edu
[Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University
of Illinois]
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