In 2011, the Maryland General Assembly directed the University System of Maryland to assist Maryland’s agricultural producers with trusts and estates issues, compliance with environmental laws, and other issues necessary to preserve family farms.
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences to address this directive and formed the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI).
Since 2013, ALEI has been addressing these legal needs through outreach activities and education. ALEI currently has available publications related to Estate Planning for Farm Families, Conservation Easements as an Estate Planning Tool, Agricultural Leasing, Maryland’s Right-to-Farm Law, Mineral Leasing, and an Overview of Federal and State Labor Laws. The Maryland State Bar Association’s Committee on Agriculture Law developed a legal directory of committee members, their practice fields, and areas of Maryland the member practices in. Additional materials in the areas of environmental compliance, water law, labor law, negligence, and general liability issues are currently under development.
Additional Resources
For more information visit: The ALEI Website
For more information on upcoming UME agricultural law programs visit: The Ag Law Event page
As a part of the UME ag law program a blog covering relevant legal news focused on Maryland agriculture is available at: The Ag Law Blog
