Legal-Ease: Components of a good farmland lease

Many landlords and tenants could benefit from better farmland leases. Sometimes, the seemingly simple act of defining each party may be more complex than one assumes.

More complicated agreements such as “hybrid leases,” which contain elements of cash rent and crop-share, rely on formulating payments based on yield and crop prices. Other basic items such as lease duration or payment schedule could create pitfalls if both parties have not clearly established them. A good farmland lease will address these concerns, among others.

Legal-Ease: New manure laws start June 21

A new law will go into affect in a few months that will necessitate that most farmers monitor the weather before spreading manure. While several applications and farming operations are exempt from the ruling, farmers in northwest and west central Ohio will be under more specific requirements when it comes to spreading manure.

Legal-Ease: New manure laws imminent

After last year’s toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie brought public attention to the issue of farm runoff, farmers and their practices are under a higher level of scrutiny. Already passed in the Ohio Senate, new proposed legislation could change how farmers in northwest Ohio can apply manure.

Legal-Ease: Liens against farm crops

Liens are a complicated and difficult to understand legal process available in some businesses. For farmers, creditors can have liens placed on crops to receive their money. There are even specific laws for liens on grain as opposed to other crops. There are many steps and specifications required to utilize liens.