Buying and Selling Farms
The purchase or sale of a dairy farm can be cause for celebration, but there’s no denying that sale and purchase contracts can be complex and require specialist help.
Let us guide you through the entire buying and selling process and take care of the wide range of industry-specific considerations, such as:
- Dairy company shares
- Plant and machinery
- Livestock
- Farming requirements
- Resource management matters
- Compliance issues
- And more…
Our dairy farm lawyers provide the most up-to-date dairy sector information and are continually monitoring changes for your peace of mind.
Banking
We have an excellent relationship with our New Zealand dairy farmers, but we also have an excellent relationship with rural banks in the rural banking sector.
Let us use our connections and knowledge to provide you with the assistance you need for a seamless banking process.
You can also learn more about guarantees and borrower obligations
here. We aim to ensure you’re as well informed as possible before making any significant banking decisions about your dairy farm.
Subdivisions
Thinking about subdividing rural land? Planning on selling part of your farm to a neighbouring farm? Subdividing can present many exciting opportunities. Although, there can be more to a rural land subdivision in New Zealand than meets the eye.
Talk to the team at BlackmanSpargo so that you’re fully aware of any issues you might face, including tax and zoning.
Ownership Structures
The dairy sector in New Zealand has changed from solely mum and dad operations to large enterprises and corporate ownership. How do you know which ownership structure will best suit your needs, your family, and your future? BlackmanSpargo Rural Law can help you find out.
We can guide you through the risks and rewards associated with all legal structures, such as:
- Traditional family farm ownership
- Owner/operator
- Owner/operator with sharemilker
- Corporate ownership
- Passive equity partnership
- Active equity partnership
- Lessor
Dairy Farm Joint Ventures
Are you thinking about purchasing a dairy farm with someone else? Talk to BlackmanSpargo Rural Law’s expert team about joint dairy farm ventures.
Joint ventures involve two parties contributing equity to a dairy farm and sharing its expenses, control, and revenue.
Our lawyers are well-versed in how joint ventures operate and can assist with:
- Identifying what parties can expect from each other
- The issues associated with dairy farm joint ventures
- Economic implications of joint ventures
- Developing dairy farm joint venture agreements
- And more
Sharemilking & Contract Milking
Sharemilking and contract milking can be excellent ways for dairy farms throughout New Zealand to operate like well-oiled machines. However, clearly defined duties and agreements are at the very core of these successful ventures.
We can help develop agreements to provide complete clarity to both parties, including the division of duties and the resolution of farming issues.
Trusts & Trust Administration
Many dairy farmers see the value in trusts for some of the following reasons:
- Asset protection against third-party claims
- Protection from spousal and family claims
- Estate and succession planning
BlackmanSpargo lawyers have extensive knowledge of trust law, especially relating to farming families. Let us provide helpful and friendly advice about the risks and rewards of trusts, how to manage trust administration, and answer any questions you might have about trusts and your family farm.
Trust Administration
When the time comes to review or maintain your trust, we’ve got you covered. We can use our digital record-keeping system to bring up all information relating to your trust for a fast, easy, and stress-free trust administration process.
Estate and Succession Planning
Estate and succession planning can be complicated. Estate planning involves putting a plan in place for your assets and wishes upon death, while succession planning considers a farming business’s future in a new generation.
Don’t leave these significant events up to chance. Our lawyers have helped hundreds of farming families develop effective estate plans and viable succession plans, and we’re ready to help you too.
Keeping Farming in the Family – a Guide to Farm Succession
Ian Blackman, consultant to BlackmanSpargo Rural Law has written a book on succession planning to help everyday farmers plan for their farm’s future without them. This book, titled Keeping Farming in the Family – a Guide to Farm Succession, is available
here with helpful advice for farmers, accountants, and lawyers.
Learn how to achieve:
- Financial security for farming parents
- A flexible and resilient plan for the succeeding child
- Fairness for other children
Dairy Farming Employment
Our ‘she’ll be right’ attitude gets us far in many aspects of life, but it’s best not to take the risk when it comes to employment. Discuss any upcoming employment opportunities with a lawyer from BlackmanSpargo to reduce the risk of disputes and misunderstandings in the future.
Our rural legal team can guide you through the entire employment agreement creation process to make sure your employment agreement covers essential clauses like:
- The parties involved in the agreement
- Work descriptions
- The place of work
- Agreed or indicated hours
- Wage rate or salary payable
- Trial periods
- And more
Should any employment disputes arise, BlackmanSpargo Rural Law can also be called upon to help resolve these as quickly as possible.
Rural Leases & Grazing Agreements
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to rural leases and grazing agreements, making them time-consuming and complicated.
Consult with our expert team to save yourself a great deal of stress and hassle. We have extensive knowledge of farming practices and dairy farm lease negotiations. Rest assured that you’ll receive the most comprehensive advice and clarity for your next rural lease and grazing agreement.
Tax Law
Unless you’ve had extensive training in the New Zealand tax system, you’ll likely encounter frustrating tax-related problems with many farming ventures and activities you undertake in your business.
Spend more time farming and less time poring over tax documents by contacting our legal team. We understand tax issues relating to the rural sector and can ensure you receive the best possible advice for peace of mind.
Dispute Resolution
There aren’t any winners in dispute litigation, with litigation often being expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally draining for all involved.
However, we aim to help you resolve dairy farming disputes with some of the following practical and efficient dispute methods:
- Negotiation
- Facilitation
- Mediation
Our lawyers are trained in alternative dispute resolution and can work with you to achieve the desired result, whatever that might be.