Reminder: Online Workshop Series – Know the Law, Protect Your Farm with UNH Extension Workshop

Online course for New England farmers begins Jan. 28.

Give your farm a fresh start in 2019 and learn how to protect your operation, your employees and your family from legal risks with UNH Extension’s online legal workshop for farmers. New England farmers can register online.

The online course covers the basics of employment law, creating leases, farm financing and insurance, how to structure businesses to protect personal and business assets, agritourism and value-added regulations and more. UNH Extension educators and legal experts, including Rachel Armstrong, founder and executive director of Farm Commons, and Paul Goeringer, an Extension legal specialist at the University of Maryland, will work closely with participants during three video discussions in February and March.

This course is free and includes a self-directed independent course option that opens on Jan. 28. Participants in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont wishing to take the course with others can take part in three online sessions on Feb. 7 and 21 and March 7. Each session takes place from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

The course is presented in partnership with the USDA, Farm Commons, the University of Maryland and Northeast Extension Risk Management Education.

Full Calendar of Workshops and Events.

Changes in Tax Law and Impacts for Farmers

Mon, 01/28/2019 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm | Cost: Free

FREE webinar from Carol Starkie, EA, a tax consultant with Farm Credit East, will be joined by Kelly McAdam, UNH Extension Field Specialist, to discuss:

  • Changes in Exemptions and Deductions for You and Your Business
  • How Net Operating Loss is Carried Back/Forward
  • Changes in Depreciation Rules

Join the webinar here.

Inheriting a Farm-Passing on the Farm to the Next Generation, Webinar

Tue, 02/12/2019 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Cost: Free

Inheritance is often times an easy way to pass on the family farm. Learn how a property passes through an estate and what to watch for when considering this method of asset transfer in a farm succession plan.

Register online.

Gifting vs. Selling as a means of Transferring Farm Assets, Webinar

Tue, 03/12/2019 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Cost: Free

Gifting can be a simple option to start transferring the farm assets now, but do you understand gift tax filing requirements? Will you consider an installment sale, what is a bargain sale, what are the tax implications for these methods? We’ll discuss considerations to think about before gifting or selling farm assets.

Register online.

Additional Resources:

Pre-Recorded Webinar: Estate Planning Webinar: Wills vs. Trusts, Longterm Healthcare: Estate Planning often involves setting up a will and/or trust. Learn the pros and cons of each to decide what’s best for your family and farm situation. View the pre-recorded webinar (YouTube).

New Publication Available from UNH Cooperative Extension: Sales Forecasting for Agricultural Businesses: After several years in business, you’re thinking about expanding your operation by adding a new product, growing more of what you’re already producing, or moving into a totally different line of products. […] We’ve designed this publication as a practical, common-sense guide to help you move step-by-step through the process of conducting your own market research. View the resource.