Agricultural leasing workshop set Feb. 26 in Cat Spring

The first of the 2018 Rancher Leasing Workshops series covering grazing, hunting and livestock leases will be presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Feb. 26 in Cat Spring.

The workshop addresses the legal risks associated with agricultural leases, said Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist in Amarillo. The goal is to educate landowners and producers on the importance of utilizing written leases as a risk management tool.

The workshop will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Cat Spring Ag Hall, 13035 Hall Road. The free program is funded by the Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center.

Lunch will be provided by Ag Workers Insurance. Participants need to RSVP by Feb. 19 to Lashmet at [email protected] or Kara Matheney, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Washington County, at 979-277-6212.

Joining Lashmet on the program will be Greg Kaase, AgriLife Extension economist in College Station.

“We will discuss the potential legal implications of failing to have a sufficient written lease and the potential legal issues and litigation that the development of written leases can help avoid,” she said. “The workshops will also familiarize participants with key terms and provisions that should be considered in lease negotiations.”

Participants will receive a leasing handbook that covers legal issues, designing lease payment structures and calculating payments, and landowner liability. The book also will provide checklists and sample lease forms for negotiating lease agreements.

This program was held at four locations in 2017 and surveys of 250 participants came back with 100 percent saying they would recommend this program to their family and friends, Lashmet said. The program will be scheduled at multiple locations later this year.