Agribusiness and Food
Protecting Clients’ Interests
Our Agribusiness and Food practice provides legal expertise and support to clients involved in the agriculture and food industries. We have direct experience and a deep understanding of the industry that can only be developed from years on the farm and representing agribusiness and food clients.
We Put Your Needs First
Our goal is to help farmers and agribusinesses make informed decisions while remaining compliant with laws and regulations. We have represented a wide range of clients, from individual farmers to large institutions and agricultural investors. We leverage our specialized knowledge of the law, the economics of agriculture, and the people who work in this industry to develop timely, comprehensive, and efficient plans to achieve the unique objective of each client.
Our Agribusiness and food practice attorneys are experienced in buying, selling, operating, and financing farmland, agribusinesses, and food companies. We serve as outside general counsel to agribusinesses, providing legal guidance on most every aspect of their operations. We have specialized experience in compliance and dispute resolution with matters involving crop insurance, the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, the Packers and Stockyards Act, and pesticide drift and adulteration matters.
Business Transaction Expertise
Our team handles specialized issues involved in agricultural transactions and related due diligence, integrations and operations, and finance, including but not limited to:
- Farm and Timber Land Asset Purchase Agreements
- Real estate title, survey and land use matters
- Financing Arrangements
- Water Permitting, Environmental, and FSA/NRCS Due Diligence
- Conservation Use Assessment Property Tax Covenants
- Regulatory Compliance Due Diligence
- Packers and Stockyards Act
- Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
- State license and bond requirements
- Foot labeling
- Food Processing
- Leases: Farm, Solar, Hunting and Recreational Property
- Custom farming and grower agreements
- Supplier and Sales Agreements
- Logistics, Handling, and Brokerage Agreements
- Farm Labor Contractor Agreements
Litigation Knowledge
We prosecute and defend claims involving a variety of disputes, including:
- Statutory Trust and Fair Practice Claims under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)
- Livestock Dealer Trust and Fair Practice Claims under the Packers and Stockyard Act
- Federal Crop Insurance
- Pesticide Drift and Contamination Claims
- Food Adulteration Claims
- Farm Partitions
- Seed Warranty Claims
- Poultry and Livestock Grower Contract Disputes
- Loan and Collateral Agreement Disputes
- Mineral Quiet Title Actions
- Payment and Breach of Contract Disputes
- Wrongful Farmland Foreclosure
- Timber Conversion Claims
- Agricultural Nuisance and Right to Farm
- Carmack Amendment Claims
Regulatory Compliance Experience
Our attorneys provide regulatory and legal guidance and opinions on agricultural-related topics, including:
- Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA)
- Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)
- Food Licensing and Certification
- Food Labeling
- Water Withdrawal Permitting
- Federal Crop Insurance
- Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA)
- Georgia Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA)
- Federal Farm Programs
- Dealer in Agricultural Products Licenses
- Commercial Feed license and labeling
- Georgia Agritourism, Hunting, and Recreation Property laws
- Food and Other Regulatory Licensures and Certifications
- Agricultural overtime exemptions and agricultural labor laws (e.g., H-2A)