INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

- 1 Full Circle: A lawyer’s story of returning to the family farm

- 4 When livestock stray

- 5 What every farmer needs to know about the crop insurance appraisal process

- 6 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE DISPUTES

- 8 Ag fertilizer sales to be subject to Homeland Security monitoring

Excerpt from Full Circle...

Five years ago after my father died, I moved back to the family farm to transition it to the next generation while my mother was still alive. I quickly learned that there is a big difference between growing up on a farm and actually managing a diversified, 3,500-acre family farming operation. Aside from the usual issues dealing with family dynamics, I found that farming has become a very sophisticated and complex business since my childhood. Having 15 years experience in banking and over 10 years in law, I thought I was well equipped to tackle any issues that might come my way. However, my perceptions did not match reality, and the broad range of issues I faced left me with a profound respect for the agriculture industry, the farmers who sustain it, and the service providers who support them, including McAfee & Taft, our legal counsel....