You can’t eat cryptocurrency, and you can’t drink crude oil. The cultivation of plants and animals for human consumption — i.e ., agriculture—represents one of mankind’s few truly indispensable activities. Eliminate modern agriculture, and civilization disappears, along with all its high-tech...
Since its beginnings as a niche tangerine and specialty citrus packer in 1927, the companies have grown through an effective balance of tradition and entrepreneurial spirit and are now managed by members of the third and fourth generations of the founding family. Based in Winter Haven, Florida, the...
I n re Express Grain Terminal, LLC 1 highlights clashes between Articles 2, 7, and 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC); clashes between the UCC and the federal Food Security Act (FSA); and clashes between Article 7 of the UCC and state laws regulating grain elevators. Express Grain Terminal LLC...
The essence of agriculture is converting energy from the sun into feed, food, fuel, and fiber. In a letter to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson described agriculture as “our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.” Many agricultural...
American family farmers and family fishermen 1 are not immune to the effects of the current condition of the general economy. A recent industry analysis indicates that the three most pressing concerns of respondents surveyed in September 2022 were: 1) higher input costs; 2) rising interest rates;...
The American agricultural industry is considered the breadbasket of the world. The U.S. is the world’s largest exporter of cereal grains and can produce enough food to feed the U.S. population twice over. 1,2 Yet trouble is brewing in the industry. Global food prices reached an all-time high in...
Given the trade wars and COVID-19 pandemic, the agricultural industry has experienced financial stress not seen since the 1980s. This panel will address underlying issues impacting the agricultural industry, and how to manage troubled credits during these...
As guest editor of this issue of the JCR , in early February I began formulating topics that focused on the challenges faced by the agriculture and transportation industries. Final submissions were due March 10. On March 11, the NBA abruptly suspended its season, Tom Hanks announced he had tested...
On August 23, 2019, President Trump signed into law the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, which increased the debt limit under Chapter 12 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to $10 million from about $4.15 million. This means that Chapter 12 is now a viable option for larger family farming operations,...
When people think of agriculture, they think of long-term businesses in steady markets. They think of family-owned businesses passing from generation to generation. They think of farmer-owned cooperatives serving their members and feeding the world. That has been changing in a dramatic manner over...
