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Answering the "Do I need workers’ comp insurance?" question on your own.
A prudent farmer should know if he or she is required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance. When you can’t ask an attorney, doing your own legal research can work if you have a little time and tenacity. Here are ideas for learning the workers’ comp laws of your own state. What’s the situation?…
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Rodale study shows benefits of organic farming over conventional
A recent study by the Rodale Institute brings good news for organic farmers: According to the report, organic agriculture outperforms conventional farming in years of drought, and increases the organic matter content of soil rather than depleting it. Organic farming also uses 45 percent less energy, produces less greenhouse, and is more profitable than conventional…
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Leasing Farmland in the Hudson Valley and Beyond
Land access is an obstacle oft-cited by young farmers seeking to get their business off the ground. As a group, young people looking to farm tend to be rich in energy, ideas, and ideals, but often rather short on capital. Resourceful as we are, the rise in land prices makes it unrealistic for many of…
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Workers' Comp: Protecting Employers and Employees
“Workers’ compensation” is the title for a system of insurance that covers injuries suffered by employees while on the job. What farmers might not know is that workers’ comp protects the farmer just as much as the farm worker. A key aspect workers’ comp is that when it is available an injured employee may not…
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Organic farming profits improve in Minnesota in 2010
The profitability of organic farms in Minnesota improved in 2010 after a tough year in 2009, according to a new report by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The median organic farmer received an income of $62,463 in 2010, which was more than six times the median income in 2009 and consistent with those in…
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AGR-Lite: Is It the Right Choice for Your Farm?
On Wednesday, September 28, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) hosted a webinar about a new federally-subsidized insurance program called Adjusted Gross Revenue Lite (AGR-Lite). According to the presentations, AGR-Lite can provide either revenue insurance, which can protect farmers from declines in crop prices or yields, or multi-peril insurance, which can protect against low…
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Washington Takes its New Internship Law For a Spin
The new Small Farm Internship Pilot Project, passed by the Washington state legislature, is a great example of how elected representatives are exploring new ways to help direct-market farmers. The pilot project permits unpaid farm internships and grants the interns workers’ compensation insurance through a simple application process. What’s the situation? We’re seeing legislation proposed…
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GIPSA Rule Survives Senate Appropriations Committee
One small victory for small-scale agriculture has been achieved on the legal front. Two weeks ago, the Senate Appropriations Committee did not include language previously proposed in the House of Representatives’ 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would prevent the USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) from enacting a competition rule known as the…