Seventh Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference

Hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center

June 4-5, 2020

Available in online distance-learning format

 

Agriculture in the Mid-South is uniquely impacted by changes and developments in state, federal, and international laws and policies.  This program is part of a long-term effort to provide relevant and timely agricultural and environmental legal research and information to attorneys, lenders, accountants, tax consultants, students and other agricultural professionals involved in the agricultural industries in the southern U.S.   The goal is to provide resources in the form of presentations and content, as well as to foster dialogue about the range of agricultural, food, and environmental law issues for the Mid-South agricultural community.

Typically, this conference takes place on-site in Memphis, TN.  However, the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have led us to host the conference entirely online this year.  The online conference will feature 6 hours of continuing education, including an hour of ethics.  Further, for participants who register by May 18th, 2 “bonus hours” of online continuing education will also be included.  More information on continuing education credit is available below.

 

Conference Time, Date, and Location:

June 4 & 5, 2020

12:00 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. each day

Available in a online distance learning format

Conference Agenda:

Thursday, June 4

12pm – 1pm: Ag Lending & Financial Outlook: A Mid-South Lender’s Perspective

Greg Cole, President and CEO of AgHeritage Farm Credit Services

1:05pm – 2:05pm:  Ag Finance, Credit & Bankruptcy: Pointers and Pitfalls for Attorneys, Lenders and Landowners

Wes Boyer, Partner, Boyer Terry

2:10pm – 3:10pm:    The Times They Are A Changin’?: Ag Law & Regulatory Environment Post-2020 Elections

Autumn Veazey Price, Director, Government Relations, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Hunt Shipman, Principal and Director, Cornerstone Government Affairs

Friday, June 5

12pm – 1pm:      Anatomy of a Historic NRCS Wetlands Dispute Victory: Lessons Learned and Top Practice Pointers

Michael Cooley, Partner, Allen Wellman McNew Harvey, LLP

1:05pm – 2:05pm:        Legal Ethics in Dealing with the Government: Lobbying, Gifts, and Related Considerations

Amanda Jones Tollison, Partner, Butler Snow; Mississippi Bar Association President (2019-2020)

2:10pm – 3:10pm:  Latest and Greatest in Federal Crop Insurance and Farm Programs

Grant Ballard, Partner, Ark Ag Law, PLLC

Cost:

Attendees seeking continuing education credit (CLE/CE): $75

Other attendees: $25

Continuing Education:

For the June 4 & 5th conference:

  • Legal- This program has been approved for 6 total hours of CLE in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, including one hour of ethics.  It has been approved for 7.2 hours of CLE in Missouri, including 1.2 hours of ethics.
  • American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers: It has been approved for 6 hours of CE credit.

For the the “bonus” online CLE on May 19th:

  • Legal- This program has been approved for two hours of general CLE credit in Arkansas.
  • American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers: It has been approved for 2 hours of CE credit.

If you are interested in continuing education credit in other states or for other professions, email Rusty Rumley for assistance.

Online “Bonus” CLE

Those who register by 4pm CDT on May 18 are eligible for two “bonus” hours of online CLE/CE in addition to the conference.  Those hours will be held from 11am-1pm CDT on May 19th.  The presentations are:

Ag & Food Law Update for the Mid-South (11am – 12pm)

Harrison Pittman, Director, National Agricultural Law Center

Ross Pifer, Director, Center for Agricultural & Shale Law, Penn State Law

Peggy Kirk Hall, Director, Agricultural & Resource Law Program, The Ohio State University

Current Legal and Regulatory Issues in Industrial Hemp Production (12pm – 1pm)

Rusty Rumley, Senior Staff Attorney, National Agricultural Law Center

A link to access the online CLE will be sent out to all current registrants on May 18th.

Speaker Biographies

Conference Materials: 

Materials for Bonus CLE 

Resources for Thursday (6/4) Mid-South

Materials: Ag Lending & Financial Outlook: A Mid-South Lender’s Perspective
Materials: Ag Finance, Credit & Bankruptcy: Pointers and Pitfalls for Attorneys, Lenders and Landowners
Materials: The Times They Are A-Changin’?: Ag Law & Regulatory Environment Post-2020 Elections
Materials: Combined Thursday
Presentations: Combined Thursday
2020 Mid-South Land Values and Lease Trends Report 

 

Resources for Friday (6/5) Mid-South

Materials: Anatomy of a Historic NRCS Wetlands Dispute Victory: Lessons Learned and Top Practice Pointers
Boucher Final Technical Determination (NRCS)
Materials: Legal Ethics in Dealing with the Government: Lobbying, Gifts, and Related Considerations
Materials: Latest and Greatest in Federal Crop Insurance and Farm Programs
Materials: Combined Friday
Presentations: Combined Friday