Four key dates for farmers
As always, our legal champions endeavour to keep you informed of key dates ahead of time so you don’t get caught short when something changes. Here are four key dates to note in your calendar.
Rural
Alerts for farmers: employing workers and health and safety
In these rural briefs, we’re looking at the two hot topics for farmers this summer. The health and safety act is in force and the courts are issuing hefty penalties for non-compliance. We also have a warning about hiring casual help. Read on to avoid getting burned.
Loan documents: do you read the fine print?
How many of us actually read the fine print when signing a document? The old adage suggests we should and with good reason. If you run a farming operation, it’s very likely that you’ll need to borrow funds from one of New Zealand’s main trading banks. It’s also vital that you read the fine print to avoid some unpleasant surprises. Here’s a summary in larger, easier to read print.
The low-down on Farm Management Plans
As you’ll be aware from our article What does the Clean Water Package mean for farmers, raising the water standards in our rivers and lakes is going to have an impact on farm management. The government has charged the regional authorities with the job of implementing the water standards policy.
Four more hazards to note…
In these briefs, we have four updates on topics which also present potential risks and hazards for the unwary: new health and safety legislation coming into effect, claims against rural contractors, lease disputes, and bobby calf regulations. Make sure you’re familiar with these four points before they catch you unawares.
Fire!
Last year’s fire that spread through areas forested with pine trees was a good wake up call for people living in rural Hawke’s Bay. You need to prepare for fire danger.
What happens to rural property when relationships break down?
When the Personal Property Securities Register (the PPSR) was established in 1999, most businesses were quick to catch on that it was a good idea to register security over goods that were sold under a line of credit. What wasn’t so easily recognised is that the register was designed to also capture leases of goods that are indefinite or extend past one year.
Company or Trust
The two most common farm-owning entities are either a company or a trust. Often, a farming operation is carried out with a mix of trust ownership (typically owning the land) and a company (owning the rest). Both structures have their pros and cons; in this article we compare these two ownership models.
Easements on Rural Land
An easement is defined as ‘a right of one person is respect of another person’s land.’
Paper Roads and Public Access
Easier to find than ever! Paper roads are relatively widespread across New Zealand farmland. They are more precisely called ‘unformed legal roads’ and have the same legal status as any other legal road.