Risk Management

Online course for Marylanders to assist them in better understanding basic legal issues faced when owning rural land. Course covers agricultural leasing, right-to-farm law, recreational use, estate planning, landowner liability, trespasser issues, fencing law, and livestock liability. Course is free to join

This webpage is the legal archives of the Women In Agriculture webinars.

The purpose of regulations and licensing for food processing. Is to ensure the safety of the food supply and oversee commerce. Food processing standards and regulations vary widely based on the type of food being considered and the scale of the operation.

Cash rent lease agreements are the most popular type of lease agreement in Maryland. Cash rent is a fixed amount on a per-acre basis. In this agreement, the owner is relieved of operating and marketing decisions, and income is known year to year. The tenant has the risk and returns from the crop and can make crop and livestock decisions.

Chapter 4: Managing legal risks to grow your urban farm is part of the online publication "From Surviving to Thriving: Strategies for Urban Farm Success. Legal risk is associated with many of the day-to-day activities of all types of farms. For example, there are legal ramifications for not repaying an operating loan or failing to use appropriate safety precautions when using pesticides. Marketing agricultural products involves contractual commitments, and human issues associated with agriculture also have legal implications, ranging from employer/employee rules and regulations to inheritance laws. Urban farms can be presented with additional legal challenges because they exist in densely populated areas surrounded by private and commercial neighbors unlikely to be familiar with (or possibly simply intolerant of) the sights, sounds, smells and activities of farming, and because they are typically located in areas that were specifically not set up to support agricultural activities.

Are you a specialty food entrepreneur? If so, check out the Food Processing in Maryland module. This invaluable module provides information about how to sell and process food in Maryland. This module will include rules for specific foods and important regulatory information. Our interactive map of Maryland's regulatory environment provides you with location-specific contacts.