Ag Bankruptcy Spotlight: Chapter 12 Considerations and Basics

Topic:

Lower commodity prices,  extreme weather, and ongoing trade tensions in world markets have contributed to widespread financial strain throughout American agriculture.  The American Farm Bureau Federation recently reported that “the delinquency rates for commercial agricultural loans in both the real estate and non-real estate lending sectors are at a six-year high” and that Chapter 12 bankruptcies increased the previous year in all but one region of the country.  Recently, the Bankruptcy Code was amended to ease eligibility requirements for family farmers considering filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy.

This webinar will provide a basic introduction to Chapter 12.  It will discuss eligibility requirements, advantages of filing a Chapter 12 over other types of bankruptcy, and uses of a plan to make changes in the farming operation.

Participation:

This webinar was recorded on October 16, 2019.  To listen to a recording of the webinar, please click here.

Presenter:

Renee Williams is the Chapter 12 Standing Trustee for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas and has been serving since 1995. She is also a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee administering cases in the El Dorado, Texarkana and Pine Bluff divisions of Arkansas.  She is a past president of the Association of Chapter 12 Trustees and served on the Chapter 12 Handbook Revision Committee. Mrs. Williams is a 1980 graduate of Harding University, and a 1983 graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Research & Materials:

Presentation