ISBA members are being asked to consider signing up for the Farmer Legal Referral List that is being created by the Illinois Family Farm Law Project with funding from the Illinois Bar Foundation.

The project was established by the ISBA Agricultural Law Section Council, the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Prairie State Legal Services, the University of Illinois Extension and the Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG).

The purpose of the project is to provide education to farmers and free legal assistance to financially eligible family farmers. Categories are Federal Farm Program Issues, Disaster Assistance, Diversification, Loan Restructuring, and Agricultural Credit.

To serve farmers who need help but do not meet eligibility criteria for free assistance, or have legal problems that do not fall within those categories, the project is developing a referral list of interested attorneys.

Lawyers on the list will be referred cases in designated counties and issue areas. Farmers who call FLAG for assistance will be informed that customary legal fees will be charged.

To sign up, access http://www.illinoisfamilyfarmlawproject.org, click on Become a Referral Attorney, and complete a short questionnaire.

For more information, call Michael Fiello at Land of Lincoln, (618) 457-7800, ext. 117.