Farm Commons

Deciding on which insurance policies to pursue can feel like a puzzle, and crop insurance is no exception. At Farm Commons, we believe that an informed decision is an effective decision. With the recent update to the federal Micro Farm crop insurance program, farmers and ranchers are building on their deep wisdom about what's best for their businesses by asking key questions to make an informed decision on whether or not to pursue coverage through this program. In this episode, Kate and Bonita share feedback from farmers about the Micro Farm crop insurance program and why it would or wouldn't work for their business. Tune in to learn their thoughts!This episode builds on the legal background of the Micro Farm policy and Whole Farm Revenue Protection crop insurance program shared in Episode 47: Crop Insurance Options for Diversified Farms and Ranches. (https://farmcommons.org/resources/podcasts/episode-47-crop-insurance-options-for-diversified-farms-and-ranches/)This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RMA22CPT0012392.

Do you have liability insurance that covers the operations on your farm or ranch? If so, what's your understanding of what that insurance covers? Do you know what steps you need to to take if and when you need to file a claim? If you're not sure or you need a refresher, don't worry and tune in!In this episode, we explain what crop and livestock insurance and other liability insurance policies typically cover and what they don't. We also review what you can expect from the claims filing process and how to manage the steps of filing a claim while in the midst of a stressful loss on the farm or ranch. Listeners will take away best practices for understanding your coverage and key skills for when it's time to file a claim.This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RMA22CPT0012392.

Figuring out how to pay yourself effectively can be daunting- don't do it alone! In this episode, Kate, Eva, and Rachel explore the two main was business owners can pay themselves: owner's draw and salary. Each has benefits and drawbacks, and you may need to use one or the other depending on your business structure. Tune in to learn how to pay yourself in alignment with accounting responsibilities and your business and personal goals. Along the way we share real stories and insights into managing this essential aspect of running your own business!This work is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), grant no. 2021-70035-35372/project accession no. 1027099, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Hannah Hamilton and her husband, Jim Buckle, are committed to raising healthy, vibrant soils and food at their farm in Unity, Maine. Almost a decade in business has taught them important lessons about business resilience, healthy relationships, and how to think about failure. In this episode, Hannah shares about The Buckle Farm’s journey toward forming a limited liability company (LLC), and why this formal business structure represents a renewed commitment to the land they love in addition to providing personal asset protection. Farm Commons is grateful to have worked with Hannah as a co-presenter of our Discovering Resilience workshop with MOFGA in 2020 and as a member of the 2022 Farm Commons Fellows leadership program.Check out The Buckle Farm (http://www.bucklefarm.com/) to follow Hannah and Jim's story.

Discrimination pervades many areas of life, and agriculture is no exception. While discrimination in the areas of farmland access and agricultural lending are well documented, discrimination in insurance is not often addressed. If you’ve encountered issues purchasing or updating a federal crop or livestock insurance policy, or had a claim denied when a peer with similar circumstances had theirs approved, you may be wondering if discrimination is at play. In this episode we take a hard look at how discrimination can occur at the stages of purchasing, updating, or making a claim on federal crop and livestock insurance, and what you can do about it. You’ll walk away from this episode understanding how to spot discrimination and options for filing a complaint and moving forward if you suspect discrimination has occurred. Additional resources:RMA Agent Locator (https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/Information-Tools/Agent-Locator)This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RMA22CPT0012392.

Running payroll can be a confusing and frustratingly bureaucratic process for farmers and ranchers attempting to do it independently, but it doesn't have to be! In this episode we explore ways that farmers and ranchers can alleviate the administrative burdens of payroll. We discuss the pros and cons of solutions like payroll services, DIY payroll, and cross-farm cooperatives. Additional resources:* Publication 51- Agricultural Employer's Tax Guide (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p51)* Farmers' Guide to Shared Labor Arrangements (https://farmcommons.org/resources/articles/farmers-guide-to-shared-labor-arrangements/)This work is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), grant no. 2021-70035-35372/project accession no. 1027099, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

As a farmer or rancher, you’re probably familiar with insurance for covering your workers from the risk of injuries at work. This includes workers’ compensation, which you may be required to have, and optional health insurance packages. However, what about your injuries? Are you covered in the case of injury from self-employment? Sometimes health insurance policies will exclude injuries that occur in the course of self-employment from coverage. This is where workers’ compensation comes in as a powerful option for you as the farm or ranch owner. In this episode we explain the pros and cons of private health insurance and workers’ compensation, providing insights into how the two policies can work together.This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RMA22CPT0012392.

Working interviews, also known as trial interviews, can be an excellent way for both employers and prospective employees to learn if a job is the right fit. Tune in to learn about some risk management techniques to consider when using working interviews on your farm or ranch! In this episode we revisit the fact that anyone who does the work of a for-profit business is likely an employee, and we explore what that means for prospective employees during working interviews.Action steps:Read our Selected Essentials in Farm Employment Law (https://farmcommons.org/pathway/selected-essentials-farm-employment/) to learn the laws in your stateSign up for our Advanced Farm Employment Law (https://farmcommons.org/product/adv-employment-law-course/) course to learn the best practices of hiring employees

While Whole Farm Revenue Protection and the new Micro Farm Policy option provide more flexible crop insurance coverage options for small scale diversified farms, there are still crops that remain outside of coverage bounds. This is the case for foraged and wild foods products-- those ramps, wild mushrooms, pawpaws, nuts, and medicinal herbs growing wild but made available on the market by foragers. Many farmers and ranchers forage for these plants as there is a viable market willing to pay top dollar for these special products. However, these wild foods, just like row crops, are at risk of failure due to climate, disease, and pest pressure. So what can producers do to manage the risk of lost revenue from wild foods products? We’ve got 3 best practices to share with you in this episode. Recommended resources:Episode 47: Crop Insurance for Diversified Farms and Ranches (https://farmcommons.org/resources/podcasts/episode-47-crop-insurance-options-for-diversified-farms-and-ranches/)RMA Crop Insurance Database (https://webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/ActuarialInformationBrowser2022/CropCriteria.aspx) This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RMA22CPT0012392.

The answer to questions like "Can I have an intern on my farm?" and "Does it matter what I pay them?" is actually quite straightforward. Before we get there, though, we clear the air about what an intern is in the eyes of the law and guide farm and ranch business owners through understanding whether their "intern" is actually a legal employee.Action steps:Read the Farmers' Legal Guide to Intern and Volunteer Programs (https://farmcommons.org/resources/books/farmers-legal-guide-to-intern-and-volunteer-programs/)This work is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), grant no. 2021-70035-35372/project accession no. 1027099, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows US farm employers to hire workers from other countries to fill labor gaps on their farm or ranch. It can be an effective option for some farmers, as farmworkers are increasingly difficult to find domestically. But the program comes with additional costs, legal obligations, and ethical considerations that interested farmers need to understand. Tune in to learn if H-2A is a viable solution for your business!Additional Resources:Is H-2A a Solution for Your Farm? (https://farmcommons.org/resources/video/is-h-2a-a-solution-for-your-farm/) (video)Farmers' Guide to In-Kind Wages (https://farmcommons.org/resources/books/farmers-guide-to-in-kind-wages/)Farmers' Guide to Hiring Obligations (https://farmcommons.org/resources/books/farmers-guide-to-hiring-obligations/)

As the climate becomes more unpredictable, crop insurance becomes more valuable and necessary. For diversified producers, however, it hasn’t been easy to find. The good news is there is a new crop insurance option out there just for you! In this episode we’ll get you up to speed on Whole Farm Revenue Protection crop insurance and the new Micro Farm policy that is available to farmers and ranchers nationwide. Executive Director and attorney Rachel Armstrong brings us through the Micro Farm crop insurance policy, helping you decide whether it’s a good option for protecting your crops and value added goods.The survey mentioned in the introduction closed on 11/14/22. Thank you for participating!Recommended Resources:Micro Farm Factsheet (https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/Fact-Sheets/National-Fact-Sheets/Micro-Farm-Program)RMA Cost Estimator (https://ewebapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/CostEstimator/Estimates/DetailedEstimate.aspx)This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RMA22CPT0012392.

Unintentional or intentional discrimination can happen on farms and ranches, especially in the hiring process, but it’s something everyone has the power to manage and avoid. In this episode, we zoom in on avoiding discrimination during interviews with prospective employees. Staff attorney Chloe Johnson walks us through some of the dos and don'ts of interviewing, including questions to avoid.Further resources:* Read the Farm Employment Law Essentials for your state* Take Farm Commons’ Advanced Farm Employment Law Course to build holistic, sustainable legal solutions for your farm’s employment program. Register at www.farmcommons.org (http://www.farmcommons.org/).

Paying employees via salary, rather than an hourly wage, can be an enticing option for some farm business owners. It’s a way to avoid costs and simplify payroll. But this approach requires legal consideration. In this episode, we explain how paying employees via salary can be a strategic option for farmers and ranchers who are required to pay overtime. Under federal law, agricultural laborers are exempt from receiving overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a week. However, as a farmer you might find yourself in a situation where you lose that exemption and do, in fact, owe overtime pay to employees. In that case, salary may be a strategic way to fairly compensate employees while keeping costs low.Do you owe your employees overtime pay? Can salarying your employees help your business? Listen to this episode to find out!Further resources:* Read the Farm Employment Law Essentials (https://farmcommons.org/pathway/what-are-the-farm-minimum-wage-overtime-workers-compensation-meal-rest-break-and-unemployment-insurance-benefit-rules-for-my-state/) for your state* Register for our Advanced Farm Employment Law (https://farmcommons.org/product/adv-employment-law-course/) course to build a sustainable employment program at your farmThis work is supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), grant no. 2021-70035-35372/project accession no. 1027099, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

In this episode, we break down what a lease is, how it functions, and the creative power you have to shape how your lease works.