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Agricultural & Farming Partnership Agreements

 

Creating and administering agricultural partnerships isn't always as straightforward as many people believe, and for that reason, it is essential that those involved seek legal advice from a team of specialist agricultural business solicitors, who have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the industry.

Lanyon Bowdler is proud to be an NFU panel law firm possessing years of experience in advising farmers and their families, both in personal and business contexts. As such Lanyon Bowdler has developed extremely close ties with the local farming community in and around Shropshire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Mid and North Wales.

How Can We Help You

Our farming solicitors will be able to help you whether you want to create a new partnership, or put in place succession planning to ensure the future of your business and its smooth passing down through the generations.

Owners and occupiers of agricultural land have long trusted Lanyon Bowdler with their legal work and the firm has taken great satisfaction in watching those clients develop, diversify and succeed.

We recognise that there are challenges which are unique to the agricultural sector which is why our solicitors provide both specialist legal advice for farmers and agricultural workers alike, as well as a well-rounded and pragmatic approach. We pride ourselves in offering friendly support to our clients and caring for them through their good times and where they face times of challenge.

Agricultural Partnership Agreements

Having a robust agricultural partnership agreement drawn up is essential in protecting the interests of all parties and for maintaining a clear business focus, particularly when the partnership involves members of the same family.

Many families often feel that a formal, legal agreement is unnecessary when it comes to their farming business, but this leaves the way open for disputes and misunderstandings to arise.

The specialist team at Lanyon Bowdler can advise on partnership formations and are able to prepare partnership agreements to meet your specific requirements. We take great pride in forming excellent working relationships with our clients and their families to ensure clarity and the concurrence of everyone involved.

Some of the most important considerations to be taken into account when forming an agricultural partnership include:

The assets that belong to the business

This will include any land, equipment, entitlements and intellectual property relating to the business.

What each partner’s contribution will be

This will include financial investments, land transfers and roles and responsibilities in relation to the running of the business.

How the partnership will be managed

The decision-making process and voting rights will need to be agreed upon beforehand. Decisions are usually taken by a simple majority, but alternative agreements can be drawn up for various situations. The circumstances in which new partners can be introduced should also be stipulated.

How the partnership can be brought to an end or dissolved

It is vital a suitable exit strategy is considered for one or more partners, plus the way in which assets will be valued and divided requires careful consideration to avoid future disagreements and conflict. This will cover what happens in the event of the death of a partner, or if a partner wants to leave, as well as whether a partner can be expelled and what provisions will be in place in the event of long-term illness.

The agricultural team at Lanyon Bowdler are able to advise on all legal aspects of your agreement, negotiating the complexities and providing workable solutions for every eventuality so that the business can progress efficiently and effectively.

Inheritance Tax Relief

Having a legal agricultural partnership agreement in place is also essential for ensuring your farming business can capitalise on inheritance tax exemptions. If it isn’t clear whether the land, buildings and farmhouses involved in the business are part of the partnership, this will have a potentially devastating impact on the eligibility to claim Agricultural Property Relief, leading to huge tax bills and the possible need to sell the farm business.

The experts at Lanyon Bowdler have a wealth of experience negotiating tax exemptions with HMRC and can help you navigate the complexities of this complicated area of the law.

Contact Lanyon Bowdler Today

Lanyon Bowdler have established offices with expert teams of agricultural solicitors in Bromyard, Hereford, Ludlow, Oswestry, Shewsbury, Telford, and Conwy.

We are one of the most recognised law firms in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Mid and North Wales. We offer a wide range of pricing options including fixed fees and service level guarantees.

As a leading law firm, we regularly act for clients nationally on agricultural partnerships. 

For more information about how we can advise you on all areas of agricultural law, speak to our experts today. Call us today or complete our online enquiry form.

Testimonials

We were keen to complete an asset purchase of an online business within a three-week timescale, in a busy period leading up to the end of the year. Enquiries with other law firms were discouraging but Lanyon Bowdler took on the task and completed the purchase five days ahead of target! The contract documents and proposals were all professionally handled and promptly executed. Well done!  

- Martin, Via Review Solicitors

Extremely efficient when dealing with a company transfer arrangement that was far from straight forward. Very pleasant team.

- Mr D & Mrs S Ford, Surrey

Thank you for your professional help, advice and commitment to ensure we had the best outcome.

- Mrs S Peruffo, Herefordshire