“Firm to Farm,” the RFD-TV Business Blog by agri-legal expert Roger McEowen, dives into the agricultural law and business taxation topics important to American farmers.
Contracts
A carefully drafted will or trust can transfer property ownership. It cannot, by itself, rewrite federal program eligibility rules. For that reason, attorneys and CPAs advising farmers should include FSA participation in the standard estate-planning checklist.
Agricultural land is more than an economic asset. It is also a bundle of legal rights – and those rights may be narrower, broader, or different from what a landowner initially assumes. Understanding exactly what those rights are is essential to protecting farm and ranch property for the future.
While blockchain technology is not replacing wills and trusts, it is creating new planning opportunities and new risks that estate planners, CPAs, and financial advisors should understand.
Secured Transactions
While blockchain technology is not replacing wills and trusts, it is creating new planning opportunities and new risks that estate planners, CPAs, and financial advisors should understand.
In agricultural transactions, timing is often far more than a matter of convenience. A delayed closing or missed payment can lead to a major financial problem.
Did the Kansas Court of Appeals Go Too Far in Clark v. McKee?
Bankruptcy
RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law dives into a “potpourri” of ag tax and law-related issues in his latest Firm to Farm blog post.
What is “gross income from farming” for purposes of Chapter 12 (farm) bankruptcy – that is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by Roger McEowen.
Today’s blog post by RFD-TV Agri-Legal Expert Roger McEowen takes a look at the “preferential payment rule,” a unique bankruptcy provision that can come as a suprise to farmers in financial distress.
Farmland Real Estate
The federal government is closer to a “Waters of the United States” definition that is narrower, more predictable, and more consistent with the Constitution—but farmers should not mistake this for the end of the WOTUS saga.
In his tribute to Dolly Parton, RFD News Contributor Roger McEowen explores how her East Tennessee farm roots shaped her work, philanthropy, and values, while offering a lesson on the importance of farming.
Agricultural land is more than an economic asset. It is also a bundle of legal rights – and those rights may be narrower, broader, or different from what a landowner initially assumes. Understanding exactly what those rights are is essential to protecting farm and ranch property for the future.
Want more agri-legal insights from Roger McEowen?
Catch his regular appearances on RFD-TV’s Market Day Report.
Every day on RFD Network, “Market Day Report” delivers LIVE coverage of agribusiness news, weather, and commodity market information from across the world. Our commodity markets coverage is updated every half hour to bringyou the latest agriculture news.
Farm Legal expert Roger McEowen says oil-and-gas royalty deductions can depend on the lease’s specific language and the circumstances surrounding the gas sale.
Roger McEowen discusses the federal court ruling on H-2A wage rates and its implications for agricultural employers.
Roger McEowen examines recent court cases and explains what farmers and ranchers can learn about protecting their property rights.
Kansas Farm Bureau Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation with the Washburn University School of Law
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Latest Stories: Business
Winning bids averaged about $1.3 million as demand for 2027 grain rail capacity increased.
Rising Treasury yields could keep farm borrowing costs elevated heading into 2027.
Mid-Atlantic farmers are locking in 2027 fertilizer contracts now, as nitrogen imports and market uncertainty make input-cost planning a key risk-management concern.
USDA says hunters could be among the first to spot the disease in wild hogs.
Farmers and ranchers can apply through local Natural Resources Conservation Service offices using their state’s fiscal 2027 ranking deadlines.
USDA has added more than 30 million base acres to ARC and PLC and expanded crop insurance options and regenerative agriculture funding.
The REAP Program provides guaranteed loan and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements
Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet Index finds that higher input costs and tariffs are pressuring farm income, equipment sales, and the rural economy.
CoBank research shows that higher butterfat and protein levels can add hundreds of dollars per cow in dairy revenue as milk components become more important to profitability.
AEM’s Austin Gellings says AI is becoming more practical in farm equipment, helping farmers improve efficiency, manage data, and use technologies such as targeted applications and automation.
Kansas farmers are facing harvest delays after heavy rain followed a summer of drought and extreme heat, while lower yields and higher diesel costs add pressure.
Even if approved, additional farm payments may not reach producers until spring.