Equine Activity & Agritourism Statutes: Strategies for Risk Management - National Agricultural Law Center

Equine Activity & Agritourism Statutes: Strategies for Risk Management

You will learn:

Equine businesses and agritourism operations involving animals create unique challenges for owners because of the legal risk associated with injuries and illnesses. States have enacted statutes that typically outline the responsibilities and liabilities of businesses and participants involved in horse-related activities and agritourism; however, these statutes have significant limitations, and many operators rely too heavily on them.

This webinar will focus on the statutes and other strategies for risk management, including implementing comprehensive safety protocols, obtaining appropriate insurance coverage, and clearly communicating potential risks to participants that are unavoidable. The webinar will discuss the statutes then work through real-world scenarios on how business owners can take proactive steps to limit their risk exposure.

Event Details:

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Noon – 1 p.m. (EDT)

11 a.m. – Noon (CDT)

You will hear:

Dr. Tim Potter, Equine/Animal Scientist

Dr. Potter is an Equine/Animal Scientist with experience in both the academic and corporate sectors. He provides expert witness and consulting services involving areas of equine and animal science, including nutrition, reproduction, behavior and training, safety issues, appraisals, and facility design.

A lifetime owner, trainer and breeder of Quarter Horses, Potter’s academic experience includes teaching and extension work in areas of equine science, including nutrition, feeds and feeding, reproduction, behavior and training, safety issues, farrier science, and climatic factors influencing productivity. Dr. Potter has published technical articles and manuals related to equine science. His corporate experience in the feed industry includes education and training of sales staff, feed dealers and horse owners, as well as work with formulation, pricing, distribution and marketing.

Dr. Potter has served on many state, regional and national committees and Boards of Directors. In addition, Dr. Potter has coached many judging and riding teams, in youth as well as collegiate divisions. Dr. Potter received his B.S. (Animal Science), M.S. (Physiology of Reproduction), and Ph.D. (Physiology of Reproduction) degrees from Texas A&M University in 1983, 1986, and 1990, respectively.

Rusty Rumley, NALC Senior Staff Attorney

Rusty was born and raised on a family farm in Cogar, Oklahoma. He graduated magna cum laude from Oklahoma State University in 2004 with a B.S. in Agribusiness and in 2007 earned his juris doctor from the University of Oklahoma. While attending the University of Oklahoma he was a member of the American Indian Law Review and worked part-time for Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation.  After law school, Rusty earned his LL.M in Agricultural Law at the University of Arkansas.  He is licensed to practice law in the states of Oklahoma and Michigan.

Rusty has published law review articles discussing the future application of special use valuation for inherited farmland, “right to farm” statutes, and the enforcement of animal cruelty statutes by private organizations. He has also written on landowner liability, agritourism, food labeling, local food production, business organizations, crop insurance, estate planning, leasing, and other land use topics in his work at the Center. Further, Rusty presents around the country to producer, consumer, extension, industry and legal groups on an array of topics.

Additionally, he has co-taught a course titled “Animals and Agricultural Production, Law and Policy” several times at the University of Oklahoma College of Law and most recently at the University of Nebraska College of Law and teaches an introduction to agricultural law course through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, & Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.  He is also an adjunct faculty member in the University of Arkansas’ Animal Science Department and the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Department.

His primary areas of interest are in estate planning, taxation, business organizations, landowner liability, leasing and agritourism.

You can review:

Presentation Slides