Emerging Farmers Learning Series — Legal: Intro to Farm Business Law and Liability Insurance
May 3, 2026 - Jazmin Bolan-Williamson, Bekah Galang
Print
EmailMichigan’s Emerging Farmers and the Michigan Good Food Fund hosted the fifth session of the Emerging Farmers Learning Series on April 1, 2026. During this session, Carolyn Johnson of LightStone Law led a presentation that offered an introduction to farm business law and liability insurance.
Carolyn discussed the topics:
- Company Structures
- Real Property Purchase and Leases
- Environmental Regulations
- Contract
- Employment
- Compliance
- Liability
- Insurance
- Succession Planning
During the presentation, Carolyn took questions from the attendees on various topics that came up during the presentation.
About Michigan Good Food Fund
Michigan Good Food Fund invests in food and farm entrepreneurs across the state, offering flexible financing and tailored business assistance to grow a more resilient, inclusive local food system. We meet entrepreneurs where they are, connect them with what they need, and build long-term relationships that help their businesses thrive. As we work toward a more resilient, inclusive food industry, we focus on entrepreneurs whose access to power and capital has been historically limited because of their race, ethnicity, and/or gender. Our efforts are guided by the shared vision of our Stakeholder Board, a diverse group of entrepreneurs, farmers, funders, and policymakers with deep roots in Michigan. Learn more at https://migoodfoodfund.org/
About Michigan’s Emerging Farmers
Our statewide program aims to create pathways to growth and economic opportunity for all of Michigan’s agricultural producers, including small- to mid-sized farmers. This project is funded by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in a cooperative agreement with members of the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, Michigan State University Extension, and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS).
This work is supported by the American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Initiative program, project award no. 2023-70417-39233, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.
