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March Farm Clinic Dates

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Farmers and ranchers are invited to attend a FREE clinic.  The clinics are one-on-one, not group sessions, and are confidential.  The Farm Finance clinic gives you a chance to meet with an experienced Ag law attorney and Ag financial counselor.  These clinic staff specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial planning, estate and transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, water rights, and other relevant matters.  Here is an opportunity to obtain an experienced outside opinion on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.  Bring your questions!

The FREE farm and ranch clinics will be in these locations:

  • Grand Island – Thursday, March 5th
  • Norfolk – Thursday, March 12th
  • North Platte – Thursday, March 12th
  • Norfolk – Thursday, March 19th
  • Lexington – Thursday, March 19th
  • Lexington – Thursday, March 19th
  • Valentine – Friday, March 20th
  • Fairbury – Tuesday, March 24th

To sign up for a clinic or for more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline: 1-800-464-0258.

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska sponsor the farm finance clinics.

Nebraska’s NextGen Tax Credit Program

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The NextGen Tax Credit Program is a program administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture that seeks to help beginning farmers and ranchers establish a longer-term relationship with existing farmers and ranchers.

By using a tax incentive, the NextGen program hopes to increase the odds of turning beginning farmers/rancher into established farmers/ranchers.

To qualify as a beginning farmer/rancher, you must be a resident of Nebraska for at least six months, have less than $175,000 in net worth, must have farmed/ranched for less than 10 of the last 15 years, and meet certain education/experience and labor requirements. Furthermore, the owner of the land must be an individual or business entity that is eligible to receive the tax credit.

Benefits for the beginning farmer include: a three-year lease instead of year-to-year, up to $500 tax credit reimbursement for a required financial management class, and the beginning farmer may apply for the Personal Property Tax Exemption.

Benefits for the owner include a tax credit of 10% of the value of the cash rent, or 15% of the value of the share crop rent.

For more information, please see our handout, or contact Karla Bahm at 800.446.4071 or email at karla.bahm@nebraska.gov

To apply, please visit http://www.nextgen.nebraska.gov/

 

 

 

Survey for Farm/Ranch Seekers and Owners

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This short 5 minute survey aims to learn how farm/ranch owners are thinking about future opportunities for their land, and how that compares to people who are looking for a farm/ranch of their own. The data collected will be publicly made available through NextGen and other programs. All responses are anonymous and confidential.

This survey is part of a United States Department of Agriculture study led by the Kansas Rural Center and Indiana University. For questions about the survey contact Julia Valliant at jdv@indiana.edu or 812-855-3155.

Please access survey here.

Beatrice FREE Farm Transition and Estate Planning Workshop March 1

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You are welcome to attend a free workshop on business succession and estate planning for farm and ranch owners, families and beginners.   The workshop will be held in Beatrice, (March 1, 2017) at the Extension Office at the fairgrounds.  The workshop runs from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm.  There is no charge for the workshop.  To register (and for questions) call the Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

The workshop is about farm and ranch business succession and family estate planning.  It will include a discussion of beginning farmer programs that can aid in succession planning.  The workshop should be useful for established farm and ranch owners, for their successors, and for beginners.   Topics include:  stages of succession planning, contribution & compensation, balancing the interests of on-farm and off-farm heirs; the importance of communication, setting goals, assessing feasibility, and balancing intergenerational expectations and needs; beginning farmer loan and tax credit programs; the use of trusts, wills, life estate deeds and business entities (such as the limited liability company) in family estate and business succession planning;  legal tools for balancing the interests of successors and off-farm heirs; asset protection; taxation (federal transfer taxes, Nebraska inheritance tax, basis adjustment), and essential estate documents. 

Joe Hawbaker, Agricultural Law attorney, with Hawbaker Law Office, Omaha

Dave Goeller, Deputy Director, Northeast Center for Risk Management Education, UNL

This workshop is made possible by the Nebraska Network for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, the Farm and Ranch Project of Legal Aid of Nebraska, USDA-FSA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Next Gen, Nebraska Farmers Union Foundation, UNL Extension Gage Co, and a lunch will be provided.

St. Paul-THE NEBRASKA BEGINNING FARMER & RANCHER NETWORK Farm Succession Series A Workshop on Farm and Ranch Business Succession & Estate Planning

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You are welcome to attend a free workshop on business succession and estate planning cropped-compressed-farm.jpgfor farm and ranch owners, families and beginners.   The workshop will be held in St. Paul, (February 23, 2017) at the St. Paul Civic Center.  The workshop runs from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm.  There is no charge for the workshop.  To register (and for questions) call the Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

The workshop is about farm and ranch business succession and family estate planning.  It will include a discussion of beginning farmer programs that can aid in succession planning.  The workshop should be useful for established farm and ranch owners, for their successors, and for beginners.  

Topics include:  stages of succession planning, contribution & compensation, balancing the interests of on-farm and off-farm heirs; the importance of communication, setting goals, assessing feasibility, and balancing intergenerational expectations and needs; beginning farmer loan and tax credit programs; the use of trusts, wills, life estate deeds and business entities (such as the limited liability company) in family estate and business succession planning;  legal tools for balancing the interests of successors and off-farm heirs; asset protection; taxation (federal transfer taxes, Nebraska inheritance tax, basis adjustment), and essential estate documents. 

 Joe Hawbaker, Agricultural Law attorney, with Hawbaker Law Office, Omaha

Dave Goeller, Deputy Director, Northeast Center for Risk Management Education, UNL

 This workshop is made possible by the Nebraska Network for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, the Farm and Ranch Project of Legal Aid of Nebraska, USDA-FSA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Next Gen, Nebraska Farmers Union Foundation, UNL Extension Howard Co, and a meal will be sponsored by Homestead Bank, Citizens Bank and Heritage Bank.

 Additional Location:  Beatrice, March 1st 2017

March Clinic Dates

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Farmers and ranchers are invited to attend a FREE clinic.  The clinics are one-on-one, not group sessions, and are confidential.  The Farm Finance clinic gives you a chance to meet with an experienced Ag law attorney and Ag financial counselor.  These clinic staff specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial planning, estate and transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, water rights, and other relevant matters.  Here is an opportunity to obtain an experienced outside opinion on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.  Bring your questions!

These FREE farm and ranch clinics are being held in:

March Clinics:

Norfolk clinic – Friday, March 3rd

Norfolk clinic – Thursday, March 16th

Fairbury clinic – Monday, March 27th

To sign up for a clinic or for more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline:  1-800-464-0258.

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska sponsor the farm finance clinics.

Farm mediation                  Legal Aid of Nebraska

THE NEBRASKA BEGINNING FARMER & RANCHER NETWORK Farm Succession Series A Workshop on Resources & Issues for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Programs & Transition

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workshopsYou are welcome to attend a free workshop on federal and state programs that support beginning farmers and ranchers, and on some of the legal tools and issues that may affect beginners and their families. The workshop will be held in Curtis, NE on February 17, 2017 at NCTA in the auditorium.  The workshop runs from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  There is no charge for the workshop.  To register (and for questions) call the Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

The workshop will cover beginning farmer loan programs, the Nebraska beginning farmer tax credit, understanding and using lease arrangements, Farm Service Agency livestock disaster programs and several transition and estate issues relevant to beginners.

Joe Hawbaker, Agricultural Law attorney, with Hawbaker Law Office, Omaha, NE

Amy Swoboda, Farm Law attorney, Legal Aid of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE

This workshop is made possible by the Nebraska Network for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, the Farm and Ranch Project of Legal Aid of Nebraska, USDA-FSA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Next Gen, Nebraska Farmers Union Foundation, and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

USDA is making it easier to transfer land to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

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Key points from the USDA’s announcement concerning the early termination of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts.

  • The goal is to make it easier for the next generation of farmers and ranchers, including family members, to acquire land.
  • USDA technical teams will determine which acres are ready to be productive with minimal impact on overall conservation efforts.
  • If land is determined to be ready a landowner can terminate their CRP contract early without being required to repay all previous payments plus interest.
  • This policy waives repayment requirements if the land is being transferred to a beginning farmer or rancher through sale or lease with the option to buy.
  • By clearing some of these CRP acres from the programs 24 million acre cap the USDA will be able to enroll other land with a higher conservation value.

For more information and details on this early termination opportunity visit www.fsa.usda.gov/crp or read the complete announcement at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Nebraska/news-releases/2016/stnr_ne_20161230_rel_408.

New Video Highlight the Benefits of Farming for Veterans

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A new video, titled “The Next Mission: Breaking Down Barriers for Veterans in Agriculture” was released by the National AgrAbility Project based out of Purdue University. This video highlights the benefits of farming for service members and Veterans. Farming has been shown to help in the transition to civilian life. This video contains interviews with Veterans who have found this benefit in farming. It is available through the AgrAbility YouTube Channel for viewing by individuals. Check it out!

 

 

Winter Workshop Series Dates

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workshopsTHE NEBRASKA BEGINNING FARMER & RANCHER NETWORK

Farm Succession Series

A Workshop on Farm and Ranch Business Succession & Estate Planning

You are welcome to attend a free workshop on business succession and estate planning for farm and ranch owners, families and beginners.   The workshops will be held throughout the state of Nebraska. The workshop times vary by location.  There is no charge for the workshop.  To register (and for questions) call the Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

The workshop is about farm and ranch business succession and family estate planning.  It will include a discussion of beginning farmer programs that can aid in succession planning.  The workshop should be useful for established farm and ranch owners, for their successors, and for beginners.   Topics include:  stages of succession planning, contribution & compensation, balancing the interests of on-farm and off-farm heirs; the importance of communication, setting goals, assessing feasibility, and balancing intergenerational expectations and needs; beginning farmer loan and tax credit programs; the use of trusts, wills, life estate deeds and business entities (such as the limited liability company) in family estate and business succession planning;  legal tools for balancing the interests of successors and off-farm heirs; asset protection; taxation (federal transfer taxes, Nebraska inheritance tax, basis adjustment), and essential estate documents.

 Joe Hawbaker, Agricultural Law attorney, with Hawbaker Law Office, Omaha

Dave Goeller, Deputy Director, Northeast Center for Risk Management Education, UNL

Locations: (more dates and locations will be released at a later date)

Greeley, NE – December 7, 2016

O’Neill, NE – December 8, 2016

York, NE – January 9, 2017

Bridgeport, NE – January 25, 2017

Chadron, NE – January 25, 2017 (evening)

This workshop is made possible by the Nebraska Network for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, the Farm and Ranch Project of Legal Aid of Nebraska, USDA-Farm Service Agency, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Next Gen, UNL Extension, and there will be a local meal sponsor at each location.