Vermont Edition - FARM & FOOD LAW: A GUIDE FOR LAWYERS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors of the Vermont Edition are indebted to the authors of the previous Food & Farm editions prepared for Conservation Law Foundation: the Massachusetts Edition, authored by the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, the Maine Edition, authored by students at the University of Maine School of Law, and the Connecticut Edition, authored by the Ludwig Center for Community and Econ. [...] As a result, many farmers with businesses of the size and scale commonly found in Vermont are often unable to afford legal assistance.4 ABOUT THE LEGAL FOOD HUB Because of the lack of legal services accessible to small-scale farmers and food entrepreneurs who participate in local and regional food systems, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) created the Legal Food Hub (Hub). [...] 9 | FARM & FOOD LAW: A GUIDE FOR LAWYERS IN THE LEGAL FOOD HUB GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS Every five years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) releases the Census of Agriculture, which captures the total amount of farmland and ownership information in the U. [...] By connecting attorneys to food and farming clients and by providing the resources necessary to build effective and sustainable relationships, the Hub seeks to enhance the growth of local food economies and communities through the provision of legal services. [...] Other Professionals: Does the farmer consult with any other business professionals, such as an accountant or tax preparer? 24 | FARM & FOOD LAW: A GUIDE FOR LAWYERS IN THE LEGAL FOOD HUB MAJOR FACTORS IN EVALUATING DIFFERENT BUSINESS STRUCTURES Once the attorney has a sense of the goals and needs of the farmer, the attorney will be better able to assist the farmer in choosing the best business str.