“The Mid-South faces unique legal and policy challenges at the state, federal and global levels,” said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The conference aims to shy away from the theoretical and provide relevant, practical information about these issues to attorneys, lenders and others agricultural professionals in related fields.”
The conference will take place at the University of Memphis Cecil B. Humphreys School of Law in Memphis, Tennessee, June 7 to 8.
The event kicks off with a barbecue reception at one of the most famous restaurants in Memphis, the Rendezvous. The next day, attendees will hear from a variety of different experts in the agricultural and environment law field on topics ranging from litigating pesticide drift claims to the must-know tax insights for farmers and agribusinesses.
“We have a really strong lineup this year,” Pittman said.
Speakers include Stephen Vaden, acting USDA general counsel; Kristi Boswell, senior adviser to the USDA secretary; Greg Cole, CEO and president of AgHeritage Farm Credit Services; John Tull, founding member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull LLC; Seth Hampton, also of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull LLC; and Kristine Tidgren, director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, Iowa State University.
Ray Starling, special assistant to President Trump on agriculture, trade and food assistance has been invited to speak, as well.
“We hope people come and get a great educational and networking opportunity and become better equipped to handle the challenges that the Mid-South is facing,” Pittman said.
A total of six hours of continuing education credits, including one hour of ethics, will be awarded to professionals in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee that attend the conference.
The Agricultural and Food Law Consortium is designed to expand the development and delivery of objective agricultural and food law research to producers, attorneys, state and federal policymakers, Cooperative Extension Service professionals and others at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
For more information and to register, visit http://nationalaglawcenter.org/midsouthcle2018/.