How we can help Farmers and Landowners

We know that farmers and landowners are facing an increasingly uncertain time. Leaving the EU has meant leaving the Common Agricultural Policy framework that has underpinned agriculture for over 40 years. At the same time, the coronavirus outbreak and future trade deals with the US and elsewhere have created even more uncertainty for many farmers. We have a specialist rural and agricultural team that can help you in a number of ways, in particular we can:

• Assess the Capital Gains Tax pitfalls of diversifying away from farming and towards other revenue streams.
• Provide advice in relation to diversifying your business such as whether you should change your business structure or model and what agreements, licences and leases ought to be in place, together with the Capital Gains Tax ramifications of your choices.
• Help you maintain Agricultural and/or Business Property Relief which is crucial to protecting your Estate from huge Inheritance Tax bills if there is any potential for development on your land.
• Advise (and litigate, if necessary) on your rights and responsibilities in respect of leases, licences, boundaries, option agreements, overage provisions and much more.
• Act on your behalf in relation to sales and purchase of agricultural or development land.
• Advise you in relation to wills and estate planning and perhaps advise you about claims which could be made against your estate which you may never have thought about.
• Advise you in relation to any queries you may have regarding your employees and their rights.

These are just a few examples of the areas in which we can assist you during this uncertain time.

Find out more about the services we offer to the rural and agricultural sector or contact us today.

Meet our rural team

Andrew Hornsby, Partner in our Litigation Department. Andrew has a wealth of experience in litigation regarding Agricultural Tenancies, boundaries, easements, trespass and more.     

Joy Plummer, Partner and Head of the Commercial Property Department and a Fellow of the Agricultural Lawyers Association. Joy is involved daily in all aspects of non-contentious agricultural and commercial property work. dealing with, inter alia, registered and unregistered land, adverse possession claims, Option Agreements, Easements, buying and selling agricultural land and buildings, entitlements, Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies and Farm Business Tenancies, equestrian land and development land.
   

Greg Baker and Martin Banwell, both members of the Wills, Trusts and Probate Department. Greg is a Partner and Head of the team and Martin is an Associate. Together they regularly advise Farmers and Landowners in relation to Wills, Estate Planning, Capital Taxes and Trusts helping clients to minimise their Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax bills.