Video replays of the webinars are available to members in the Webinar Archives of the Resources section of the AALA website. Click “Member Login” in the upper right corner and login as a member to access this content. These webinars are organized by AALA’s distance education committee, which includes members of the AALA. The technology platform is sponsored by the Center for Agricultural Law & Taxation at Iowa State University.

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Tuesday, July 25, 2023, 12:00 PM (ET)

Understanding the Basics of the Farm Credit System

This webinar will offer an introduction to the structure, funding, and operations of the Farm Credit System, including some of its unique aspects and practical applications for attorneys who work in the area of agricultural lending.

Brandy Barnes serves as Associate General Counsel of Yosemite Farm Credit, ACA and its subsidiaries.

Kevin M. Koel is Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at Capital Farm Credit, ACA (CFC), a farm credit system institution located in the State of Texas. Capital Farm Credit provides loans to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, and agribusinesses through its 63 locations serving 192 counties across Texas. Kevin leads CFC’s retail legal services team for portfolio loans advising on loan documentation, regulatory compliance, real estate title, lien perfection, community property, litigation matters, and Texas homestead law. Before joining CFC in 2015, Kevin worked in private practice for over 8 years in the Houston area, his practice covering oil & gas, commercial and residential real estate, collection, bankruptcy, and estate planning. Kevin holds a J.D. from New York Law School, a B.A. from the University of Colorado (Boulder), and an A.S. from Red Rocks Community College. He is admitted to practice law in Colorado, Texas, and the Southern District of Texas. Kevin, and his wife, Claire, and their daughter reside in College Station, Texas.

Stephanie E. Kaiser, a litigator based in Dickinson Wright’s Austin office, provides guidance to her clients on a wide variety of business and legal challenges. Her detail-oriented yet practical approach to identifying and addressing enterprise risk makes her a particularly skilled problem solver, both in and out of the courtroom. Through her representation of clients in bet-the-company or high-profile cases, Stephanie has built a reputation for successfully handling matters ranging from fraud, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duties, wrongful death, workplace disputes and personnel matters to unfair competition, intellectual property infringement cases, Lanham Act allegations, and lease disputes. Though her practice is focused largely on litigation, Stephanie’s experience encompasses transactional, real estate, corporate governance, administrative/regulatory, healthcare, and insurance matters. Her clients, which include businesses, corporate executives, and boards of directors across multiple industries, including financial services, general and tower construction, telecommunications, healthcare, security systems and equipment, real estate, and energy, appreciate her sharp eye and wide-ranging perspective. Stephanie has gained particular experience representing creditors in a variety of troubled commercial loan and consumer finance disputes. She has handled matters related to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as well as those related to consumer protection laws, the Dodd–Frank Act, and potential regulatory enforcement actions.

Douglas S. Durkin is Association Counsel at Horizon Farm Credit, ACA (Horizon), a farm credit system institution whose territory includes the entirety of Delaware and Pennsylvania, and portions of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Horizon Farm Credit provides loans to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, and agribusinesses through its 25 locations, and also serves orchardists throughout those same five states plus all of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Doug is Horizon’s sole in-house attorney responsible for the majority of Horizon’s legal needs. Before joining Horizon’s predecessor, MidAtlantic, in 2021, Doug served as Associate General Counsel for a federal savings bank with a nationwide mortgage loan business for over 20 years. Prior to his finance experience, Doug served for 9 years as the politically appointed County Attorney in Doña Ana County, New Mexico; Culpeper County, Virginia; and St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Doug commenced his legal career in 1981 as a litigator in private practice for 11 years, first in suburban Baltimore, and then in the Breckenridge and Vail area of Colorado, where his practice included litigation involving construction, mechanic’s liens, commercial and residential real estate, collection, foreclosure, and representation of savings and loan associations and banks. Doug holds a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and a B.A. in History from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is currently admitted to practice law in Maryland, Virginia, Colorado (inactive), New Mexico (inactive), the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the US District Court and Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia. He was previously admitted to the US District Courts for the Districts of Colorado, Maryland, and New Mexico; and the US Bankruptcy Court of Maryland. Further, he was previously admitted pro hac vice for cases in California, Texas, and the US District Court for the District of Connecticut. Doug, and his wife, Norma, reside in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Robbie Boone is Senior Vice President & General Counsel at the Farm Credit Council (FCC), the national trade association representing the institutions of the Farm Credit System before the U.S. Congress, the Administration and various federal agencies. Robbie leads the FCC’s efforts to achieve a regulatory environment favorable to Farm Credit’s mission to support rural communities and agriculture. He is also responsible for conducting the trade association’s legal affairs, including advising the FCC Board of Directors on a variety of related matters. Robbie previously served on the FCC’s government affairs team for over a decade. Before joining the Council in 2009, Robbie worked on Capitol Hill for five and a half years –– in a legislative capacity for a Member of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Vice President/Analyst for U.S. Trust. Robbie holds a J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Miami (FL). He received his B.A. from Wake Forest University. He is admitted to practice in North Carolina, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Robbie, and his wife, Sarah, and their three children reside in Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 12:00 PM (CT)

Grain Elevators & Agricultural Finance

A panel of experts will tackle the topic of agricultural liens (current cases and issues, as well as possible risk mitigation from various standpoints and interests).

Doug Spanier is General Counsel at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. He has been at the Department for over 25 years, starting off as a law clerk, then holding different positions such as contracts coordinator, assistant director of marketing, as well as a policy analyst. He also clerked for Judge Bruce Gross of the 5th Judicial District in Windom, Minnesota. He attended St. Johns University in Collegeville, MN, as well as William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN, now called Mitchell Hamline School of Law. When he isn’t working, he is busy dealing with his 4 boys who have now hit their teenage years.

Michael D. Fielding is a partner in the Food Systems business unit of Husch Blackwell LLP in Kansas City, Missouri where he helps clients successfully resolve difficult problems involving distressed agricultural and commercial loans. He currently serves as President of the Ag Law Section of the Kansas Bar Association. He has published more than 40 articles on a variety of legal issues and regularly presents on successfully resolving debt with insolvent and bankrupt debtors. Listed in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions of Best Lawyers in America, he has been named multiple times as a “Best of the Bar” honoree by the Kansas City Business Journal, and he was recognized in 2019 and 2022 by IFLR 1000 as being Highly Regarded in Restructuring and Insolvency (Missouri). He is licensed in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and numerous federal courts and is board certified in Business Bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification.

Jeff Peterson is a Lathrop GPM partner that focuses his practice on commercial transactions, creditor’s rights, bankruptcy, and agricultural and food law. He is a frequent speaker on agriculture and finance topics and is a former chair of the American Bar Association Agricultural and Agribusiness Financing Subcommittee. In addition, Jeff is the current President of the American Agriculture Law Association, a co-editor of the Bankruptcy Practice in Minnesota Deskbook which is published by the Minnesota State Bar Association, and a fellow in the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers (ACCFL), a professional association of distinguished commercial finance attorneys. Jeff has a background in agriculture and agribusiness, working for Country Hedging, Inc. (the commodity trading subsidiary of CHS) as a commodity branch manager and market analyst in Kansas City, advising clients on commodity hedging strategies and trading agricultural futures and options for grain and livestock producers and grain cooperatives in South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado.

Tuesday, April 18, 2023, 12:00 PM (CT)

Cannabis & Hemp Derivatives in Tourism & Hospitality: Opportunities & Obstacles

From Amsterdam to California to Thailand, the cannabis hospitality and tourism business is a rapidly expanding industry that adds a major boost to revenues for those jurisdictions in which it is legal. Join us for this panel discussion on industry-related legal aspects of cannabis hospitality and tourism. Learn about guidelines for on-site consumption, use and sale of cannabis, and related products such as cannabis-infused massages, edibles, coffee shops, and haute cuisine – and how regulations can help or hurt cannabis tourism. Of course, no panel is complete without predictions. So, we will provide predictions for the direction of this industry – including legal hurdles preventing expansion.

Pamela Epstein is the Chief Licensing & Regulatory Officer with one of California’s pioneering vertically integrated cannabis and hemp operators, Eden Enterprises, Inc. She previously was the Founder of Green Wise Companies – Green Wise Legal & Green Wise Consulting, California’s premiere full-service cannabis consulting company and law firm, providing a range of legal, consulting, business development and application permitting services to every facet of the cannabis industry. Her diverse background, inclusive of legal, land use, and environmental work, placed her in a unique position to lead and advise her clients and the cannabis community in general. Epstein has become known as a fearless advocate for local cannabis businesses along the supply chain, guiding them through the ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape. Recognized as an expert in her field, she serves as a featured speaker, providing energetic and compelling commentary focused on topics such as land use and zoning, regulatory compliance and environmental issues. Her mission is to advance industry and foster stability and growth. She is a trusted resource for local governments looking to effectively regulate cannabis within their jurisdictions and has served as the Special City Attorney for the City of Hollister regarding their Commercial Cannabis Ordinance. Along with providing her clients with exceptional service she is proud to serve as current President of the California Cannabis Industry Association’s (“CCIA”) Board of Directors, a member of the In-house Counsel Subcommittee of the International Cannabis Bar Association (“INCBA”) and Member of American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (“ATACH”) Chairing the Committee on Standards.

Susan Burns is a business lawyer who specializes in guiding businesses in growth mode, strategically using legal to meet their needs. Her practice serves various industries from cannabis processors, manufacturers and retailers to innovative industries in the sustainable food business. She also works with more established businesses such as psychotherapy and health-related clinics, microbiology consultants, and tech startups. Burns functions as an on-call business partner to her clients. As general counsel and strategic business advisor she finds creative solutions to unexpected issues—including partnering with trusted professionals from her extensive network when necessary. She enjoys interacting with socially engaged clients and audiences. Burns’ career has focused on “doing well by doing good,” and one of her guiding principles is “a bit of world-bettering is always encouraged.” She thrives on working with businesses that are making a buck and a positive impact on society. Before starting her own law firm, her work ranged from general practice with small law firms to large-scale litigation with the largest Minnesota firm. Burns is listed among the Top 200 Global Cannabis Lawyers and holds leadership roles in the American Bar Association’s Section of International Law, serving as Communications Officer and as Co-Chair of the Food, Ag, and Cannabis Committee. She is also an active member of the International Cannabis Bar Association and board member of the Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force in addition to serving on the Minnesota State Bar Association Rural and Agricultural Law Council. A Minnesota native, Burns earned her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law (now Mitchell-Hamline) and her B.A. from the College of St. Benedict. She holds an LL.M. in Food and Agriculture Law from the University of Arkansas. She is the founding partner of the law firm S Burns Legal PLLC.

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Wednesday, March 29, 2023, 1:00 PM (ET)

2023 Farm Bill Reauthorization

As Capitol Hill gears up for the 2023 farm bill, hear the latest from a panel of experts about what to expect, challenges that lie ahead, key policy debates worth watching, and the best way to engage in the discussion.

Anne MacMillan co-chairs Invariant’s agriculture, trade, and transportation practice, leveraging over 15 years of experience across the federal government and private sector on behalf of industry leaders and trade associations. She served as senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack for several years, where she developed and implemented the agency’s regulatory agenda and managed the Secretary’s policy team. She was also senior policy advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during her first term as Speaker, where she led agriculture, veterans, small business, and government oversight policy for the House Democratic Caucus, as well as coordinated outreach to the New Democrat Coalition and Blue Dogs Coalition. She spent most of her time on Capitol Hill with Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), where she worked on the 2008 Farm Bill and Endangered Species Act reform. In the private sector, Anne was director of government affairs for The Wonderful Company, a multi-billion-dollar farming and consumer packaged goods company headquartered in California. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego, and received her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.

Andrew Walmsley joined the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2011 as Director, Congressional Relations. In addition to leading the farm policy team, Andrew is charged with managing energy, climate, transportation, and biotechnology issues for Farm Bureau. His work has included regulatory relief for farmers and ranchers, along with securing Farm Bureau priorities in multiple pieces of legislation that were eventually enacted into law. Because of this work, he has been named a Top Lobbyist by The Hill. He has held multiple leadership roles around Washington D.C. He helped establish and serve as chairman of the Farmers for a Sustainable Future Coalition, co-chairs the Agricultural Transportation Working Group, and is a founding member of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance. He previously served as chairman of the Agricultural Biotech Alliance, as a steering committee member of the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, the Rail Customer Coalition, and as an advisor to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on their Energy, Clean Air & Natural Resources Committee.

Ben Thomas is the senior policy director for agriculture at Environmental Defense Fund. He focuses on creating innovative and pragmatic solutions to address environmental risks from agriculture by working with key farm groups and policymakers across state and federal government. He has extensive experience working in both state and federal government to develop and implement policy related to food and agriculture. He understands the importance of strategic engagement with stakeholders, including farm groups, to create programs that are effective and workable on the ground.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2022, 12:00–1:30 PM (CT)

Farm Bill 101

Given the expiration of the current Farm Bill on September 30, 2023, this webinar will give an overview and history of the Farm Bill – highlighting why the Farm Bill is important, reviewing what the different titles of the Farm Bill cover, and examining different stakeholder positions. Speakers will share their insights and perspectives as Farm Bill “veterans” on the history, dynamics, opportunities, and challenges of the next one.

• • Chris Adamo, Vice President of Public Affairs and Regenerative Agriculture Policy, Danone, and former Staff Director, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
  • Fred Clark, former Chief Counsel, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
  • James Glueck, Vice President, Torrey Advisory Group, and former Staff Director, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry

Chris Adamo is Vice President at Danone North America for public affairs & regenerative agriculture policy, assisting one of the world’s largest B Corps with strengthening the role of business in driving social and environmental good for all. Chris helps Danone build strategies for implementing regenerative agriculture with farming partners across its supply chain as it strives to measure impact toward climate change, water, and farmer well-being. Prior to joining Danone, Chris spent over a decade at the highest levels of the federal government working on issues related to agriculture, environment and climate change. He served as chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality from 2015 until the end of the Administration in 2017, where he helped lead the President’s agenda on climate change and conservation. From 2011-2105, he led the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as its staff director, including the negotiations and drafting of the 2014 Farm Bill, which included new opportunities for landscape-scale conservation and unprecedented investments in healthy foods. Chris began his Senate career in 2005 and was a legislative counsel in U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s office starting in 2007, where he worked on priorities such as the 2007 energy bill, the 2008 farm bill, the 2009-2010 energy and climate bill efforts, as well as various other environmental initiatives. Chris graduated with a degree in economics and business from Kalamazoo College and a law degree from Vermont Law School.

Fred Clark has been directly engaged in drafting each of the past seven Farm Bills, dating back to 1985. Most recently Fred served as Majority Counsel to the Senate Agriculture Committee (for Republican Chairman Pat Roberts) during the drafting of the 2018 Farm Bill, where Fred served as principal drafter of statutory language for the Commodities, Trade, Credit, Rural Development, Research, and Crop Insurance titles. Prior to his Senate service Fred served for 20 years as counsel in several law and lobbying firms, where he focused on agriculture, trade, agricultural research, and finance issues, including drafting major provisions of the 1996, 2002, 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills. Fred served for 10 years as staff in the U.S. House of Representatives, including eight years on the Agriculture Committee serving Democratic Chairman Kika de la Garza. In that role Fred participated extensively in the writing of both the 1985 and 1990 farm bills. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Fred served as FFA State Treasurer before earning a B.S. in Agricultural Business Management from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. Fred retired from his role as Chief Counsel to the Senate Agriculture Committee in February 2022, and has since enjoyed safaris in Tanzania, hiking in the Grand Canyon, and ballroom dancing lessons with Rika, his wife of more than 30 years.

As vice president at Torrey Advisory Group, James Glueck provides analysis, strategic advice, and representation to clients on a range of agriculture and food policy issues. James served as staff director for the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee from 2017 until 2021 under the leadership of Chairman Pat Roberts. In the past, Glueck served as deputy staff director and policy director for Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran as well as a legislative assistant for Senator Mike Johanns. His legislative experience includes work on the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills as well as biotech disclosure and pesticide registration laws. Prior to coming to Capitol Hill, James worked for Bunge North America, an integrated agribusiness and food ingredient company. Previously, he served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including roles as a senior advisor to the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services–during the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha round negotiations and the 2008 Farm Bill, congressional liaison, deputy White House liaison, deputy director of intergovernmental affairs, and confidential assistant in the Farm Service Agency. James received an undergraduate degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M University and a graduate certificate in Advanced International Affairs from the George Bush School of Government and Public Service.

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Wednesday, September 7, 2022, 12:00–1:30 PM (CT)

Agricultural Insolvency: What’s Different?

Agriculture is unique, and insolvency is, too. In a presentation by Restructuring and Insolvency lawyers at K&L Gates, they cover aspects of insolvency that are unique to food production and agriculture.

Brandy Sargent, Partner, K&L Gates
Margaret Westbrook, Partner, K&L Gates

This webinar was offered only to AALA members for continuing legal education credit.

Please be sure to note the following: CLE credit cannot be offered to those who only watch the recorded version after the webinar.

Brandy Sargent represents debtors, lenders, vendors, purchasers, and official and unofficial committees in a variety of commercial and agricultural bankruptcy, workout, and litigation matters. Brandy has significant experience representing vendors, customers, and other contract counterparties in complex payment, performance, and contract compliance issues arising in bankruptcy and insolvency matters. She regularly advises clients regarding supply chain disruptions arising in bankruptcy and insolvency cases. In addition, she has specific experience advising clients regarding consignment agreements, purchase money security interests, and warehouse and transportation liens. In agribusiness insolvency matters, Brandy assists clients with unique issues arising under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), Food Security Act (FSA), state agricultural lien statutes, and cooperative member and marketing agreements.

Margaret Westbrook is a partner in the Raleigh K&L Gates office and has two distinct areas of practice: restructuring and insolvency and campaign finance. Currently serving as the U.S. practice group coordinator for the restructuring and insolvency practice group within the firm, she represents and litigates for secured and unsecured creditors in restructuring and insolvency matters both in and out of the state and federal courts in North Carolina, and in other jurisdictions, including New York, Delaware, Texas and Virginia. Margaret advises transactional clients with respect to insolvency risks and debt restructuring. She represents purchasers and sellers of debt and assets from financially distressed companies in a variety of structures, including foreclosure sales, Article 9 sales and Chapter 11 Section 363 sales. She has extensive experience with agricultural cases, including Chapter 12 proceedings, and with healthcare insolvency issues both in and outside of formal insolvency proceedings. Margaret is a member of Class 32 Fellows of the American College of Bankruptcy.Margaret also advises corporations and trade associations on matters relating to the regulation of corporate political activity, including the formation and administration of state and federal political action committees, campaign finance regulations and gift laws. She formerly represented clients in the North Carolina General Assembly and currently advises clients regarding the development of political compliance programs.

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Tuesday, August 30, 2022, at 12:00–1:30 PM (CT)

Legal Issues for Indoor Agriculture

Consumer demand for local food and food traceability has created market value for vertical, indoor, and other controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) systems in recent years, while innovations in LED lighting technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and other innovations have spurred investment and significant growth. CEA companies face a host of unique legal issues and others that are common to traditional producers of agricultural products. This panel legal of experts will discuss working with agricultural technology companies, issues unique to CEA companies, issues they share with conventional agriculture, and opportunities for innovation in agriculture as the Farm Bill approaches.

Speakers:
Karen Ellis Carr, ArentFox Schiff
Marni Karlin, Karlin Strategic Consulting LLC
Chris Livingston, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary for Bowery Farming
Kei Nishimura, Associate General Counsel, Plenty

Karen Carr counsels, advocates, and litigates on behalf of food and agriculture companies and industry groups, with a focus on agricultural technology, food, biotechnology, pesticides and other chemical substances, and environmental law. Karen co-leads ArentFox Schiff’s AgTech industry group.

Karen has experience in litigation and regulatory counseling, strategy, and advocacy, with a primary focus on products regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Karen advises on pathways to commercialization for new products and technologies, advertising and labeling, testing and reporting, data use and compensation disputes, and litigation relating to product approvals. Karen has specific expertise with the Plant Protection Act, the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, the National Organic Program, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Marni Karlin is a recognized leader and subject matter expert passionate about creating a healthier and more sustainable food system, using advocacy, strategic planning, law, policy, and communications tools. She has over twenty years of experience in food; sustainable, organic, and controlled environment agriculture; organization management; policy; advocacy; law; and legislative and administrative process.

Her past roles include food and agriculture industry trade association general counsel and vice president of government affairs, legal policy advisor, legislative director, corporate attorney, and trained chef. She has an extensive background in project development; management of staff and boards; strategic thinking; building and leading coalitions; advocating and shaping the debate; political and corporate strategy; financial management and development; organic food and agriculture; and written and oral communication.

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Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (CT)

National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard – Six Month Check-In