Farmers Legal Action Group Inc

LEGAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED FARMERS.

FARMERS' LEGAL ACTION GROUP, INC. (FLAG) IS A NONPROFIT LAW CENTER DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO FAMILY FARMERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES TO HELP KEEP FAMILY FARMERS ON THE LAND. FLAG WAS ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO THE FARM CREDIT CRISIS OF THE 1980S, WHEN ITS FOUNDING LAWYERS HELPED WIN A LANDMARK CASE PREVENTING FORECLOSURES FOR MORE THAN 60,000 FAMILY FARMS. AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN AGRICULTURAL LAW AND ONE OF THE ONLY SUCH NONPROFIT LAW CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY, FLAG HAS A WELL-DEVELOPED EXPERTISE IN TOPICS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF SMALL FAMILY FARMS, AND PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THE MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BUILDING A MORE EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IN RECENT YEARS, FLAG HAS WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH MINNESOTA'S GROWING IMMIGRANT FARMING COMMUNITIES. (SEE SCHEDULE O)FLAG PROVIDES THESE SERVICES: 1) EDUCATION - FLAG CONDUCTS SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS IN THE UPPER MIDWEST AND AROUND THE COUNTRY ON ISSUES FACING FAMILY FARMERS AND PRODUCES A VITAL AND UNIQUE CATALOGUE OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES TO COMPLEMENT ITS TRAININGS; 2) LEGAL SUPPORT - FLAG USES ITS EXPERIENCE, RESOURCES, AND NETWORK OF CONTACTS TO PROVIDE A BROAD RANGE OF LEGAL SERVICES TO OTHER LEGAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS, FARMERS, ATTORNEYS, ADVOCATES, FARM ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS; 3) IMPACT ADVOCACY - FLAG UNDERTAKES STRATEGIC LITIGATION OR OTHER TYPES OF ADVOCACY TO ADDRESS IMPORTANT AREAS OF FARM LAW THAT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON A LARGE NUMBER OF FAMILY FARMERS; AND 4) ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - FLAG PROVIDES ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ITS CLIENTS BY SUBMITTING FORMAL COMMENTS ON PROPOSED AGENCY REGULATIONS, TESTIFYING UPON REQUEST BEFORE FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE BODIES AND ASSISTING CLIENTS IN DRAFTING AND UNDERSTANDING LEGISLATION.FLAG'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021 INCLUDED:FLAG ATTORNEYS CONDUCTED 10 SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 400 FARMERS, RANCHERS, ADVOCATES, ATTORNEYS, STAFF MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT AGRICULTURAL LAW AND FOOD JUSTICE. TOPICS INCLUDED COVID-19 RELIEF, DISASTER ASSSISTANCE, DISCRIMINATION, THE AMERICAN RELIEF PLAN ACT, RISK MANAGEMENT, WHOLE FARM REVENUE INSURANCE, AND CONTRACTS.FLAG'S PUBLICATIONS WERE VIEWED APPROXIMATELY 7,000 TIMES ON FLAG'S WEBSITE.FLAG'S WEBSITE WAS VIEWED MORE THAN 25,000 TIMES IN 2021.FLAG RESPONDED TO HUNDREDS OF INQUIRIES FROM FARMERS AND OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.IN 2021, FLAG ATTORNEYS: OPERATED A NATIONAL HOTLINE FOR, AND RESPONDED TO, FARMERS WITH LEGAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS; HELPED FARMERS AND FARM ADVOCATES UNDERSTAND COMPLEX AND CHANGING FEDERAL FARM AND RELIEF PROGRAMS; WORKED TO PROMOTE FAIR AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FARMLAND; ASSISTED MANY FARMERS IN RESOLVING CREDIT PROBLEMS; CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS ON FARM FINANCIAL CRISES AND COVID-19 RELIEF; MONITORED FEDERAL RULE AND POLICY CHANGES; AND PROVIDED OTHER LEGAL SERVICES TO FAMILY FARMERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. FLAG ALSO PUBLISHED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO ALL FARMERS, BUT ARE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO THOSE WITH LOW INCOMES OR OTHER CURRENT FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.IN GENERAL, FLAG'S WORK ON BEHALF FARMERS INCLUDED A BROAD RANGE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING ATTORNEY REFERRALS; BANKRUPTCIES; CIVIL RIGHTS; FARM BUSINESS ISSUES; CONTRACTS; COVID-19 RELIEF, CREDIT, LENDING, AND DEBT MANAGEMENT; CROP INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT; DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY; ESTATE PLANNING AND FARM TRANSITIONS; FARMER-LENDER MEDIATION; USDA NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION; GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS RELATED TO AGRICULTURE; PROPERTY RIGHTS; TOWNSHIP ORDINANCES; WIND ENERGY; AND, SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO OTHER MINNESOTA NONPROFIT FARMER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS.FLAG AUTHORED AND PUBLISHED THE FARMERS GUIDE TO 2021 CFAP CHANGES CONTRACT FARMERS AND OTHERS (1ST EDITION); NAVIGATING COVID RELIEF FOR FARMERS (ENGLISH AND SPANISH EDITIONS); FARMERS' GUIDE TO THE 2021 PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) (1ST EDITION); FARMERS' GUIDE TO THE CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2 (CFAP-2) (2ND EDITION); FARMERS' GUIDE TO THE CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2 (CFAP-2) (3RD EDITION). FLAG ATTORNEYS ALSO HELD MANY TRAININGS ON THESE PUBLICATIONS VIA INTERACTIVE WEB PLATFORMS.