Ag Law in the News: July 2026By Sam Ellis & Cari Brett RinckerAgricultural Law, July 2026Developments relevant to agricultural law include federal legislation and regulatory developments, environmental law and land use, trade and market regulation, energy and rural development, and Illinois-specific law updates.
FSA Information CornerBy Nancy Metsker-HandeganAgricultural Law, July 2026Don't miss relevant deadlines for crop planting reports, especially if crop insurance is involved.
Illinois Farm Vehicles and Implements of Husbandry: What Farmers Should Know Before Driving on Public RoadsBy Sam Ellis & Cari Brett RinckerAgricultural Law, July 2026During planting, spraying, harvest, and livestock work, farmers often need to move tractors, wagons, combines, nurse tanks, fertilizer equipment, and other machinery on public roads. The key question is usually not whether the vehicle is used by a farmer. The better question is whether the vehicle fits a specific Illinois Vehicle Code category and whether it is being operated in the way that the statute allows.
Lawyering on the Beach (Or on a Tractor): What I Learned by Attending LOTB Conference 2026By Cari Brett RinckerAgricultural Law, July 2026Lawyers on the Beach Retreat offers attorneys to view their practice in a way that supports the life he or she wants, wherever that may be. The 2026 Lawyers on the Beach Retreat stressed the prominence and importance of artificial intelligence, tools that can go with you to wherever your beach is.
Letter From the ChairpersonBy Nancy Metsker-HandeganAgricultural Law, July 2026An introduction to the current Chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council and a look at the year ahead.
Ag Law in the NewsBy Sam Ellis & Cari Brett RinckerAgricultural Law, June 2026Recent developments related to agricultural law include advancement of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the EPA continues to integrate pesticide oversight with the Endangered Species Act, federal regulators are pursuing enforcement actions aimed at data-sharing practices within agricultural markets, and more.
CLE Chair ReportBy Andrew G. WhiteAgricultural Law, June 2026Enacted in 2025, IRC Section 1062 allows sellers or farmland to defer capital gains over four (4) equal amount installments rather than pay in the year of the sale. This became an off-camera conversation at the February 2026 Ag Law Seminar.
Report From the ChairBy Garrett ThalgottAgricultural Law, June 2026Parting remarks from the current Chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council, discussing the Right to Repair lawsuit against John Deere.
Turn On Your Video!By Judge James A. Shapiro & Thomas DeMouyAgricultural Law, June 2026Few things are more annoying to a judge than when we can't see the litigant or lawyer we are addressing (or who is addressing us). During the height of the pandemic, there were judges who were not turning on their video as well. Without naming names, my former presiding judge once had to remind everyone in the division to turn on their videos. For judges, attorneys, and litigants, the lesson is clear: Zoom court requires the same decorum as a physical courtroom.
Payments From a Deceased ProducerBy Nancy M. HandeganAgricultural Law, May 2026A recent FSA newsletter discussed obtaining payments due to a deceased producer. When in doubt, the local and state FSA staff are able to help in dealing with payment issues.
Profile Highlight of Ag Law Section Council Member: Lynne R. OstfeldAgricultural Law, May 2026Learn more about Lynne R. Ostfeld, an attorney with 40 years of experience, a member of multiple committees and sections across the ISBA and Chicago Bar Association, bilingual in English and French, and of counsel to a law firm in Paris, France!
Ag Law in the NewsBy Sam Ellis & Cari Brett RinckerAgricultural Law, April 2026Earlier this year, the Trump Administration accelerated efforts to reshape federal pesticide regulation and liability standards; the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue to attempt to define "waters of the United States"; Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture hosted the annual Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day last month; and more!
Ag Law Section Council Member Profile: Kyle M. TompkinsAgricultural Law, April 2026Learn more about Kyle M. Tompkins, a practicing attorney with over 12 years of experience, a member of the Agricultural Law Section Council for over five years, and a central Illinois native who understands agriculture law's importance to everyday life.
Custom ChatGPTs: Navigating Legal and Ethical Compliance for Public-Facing AI ToolsBy Carolyn ElefantAgricultural Law, April 2026Custom versions of ChatGPT for public use can raise legal and ethical considerations, including applications of these tools, ethical AI disclosure, attorney-client relationship, confidentiality, the unauthorized practice of law, and attorney supervision. While it is necessary to consider these factors, there are practical solutions you can implement to ensure compliance and protect both users and legal practitioners.
FSA Information CornerBy Nancy Metzker-HandeganAgricultural Law, April 2026Limited liability companies can be utilized as an estate tool to reduce estate tax, centralize management of farmland, and prevent partitions; however, changes under the OBBBA could limit payments due to each member of the limited liability company or shareholder of a corporation. These changes may impact payments due and owing after October 1, 2026.
What Is the Remote Practice of Law?By Stephen B. CohenAgricultural Law, April 2026In this article, the author emphasizes and describes how a major event affecting all aspects of society has changed many traditional aspects of the practice of law.
Acquiring Battery and Energy Lease Expertise for Leasing and Real Estate Sales AgreementsBy Alan E. StumpfAgricultural Law, March 2026Energy storage contract offers related to real estate are becoming more common, whether in the contexts of wind energy leases, solar energy leases or specific negotiations to lease or purchase real estate for battery storage. We need to be thinking about contract responsibilities and technology related to energy storage on real estate.
CLE Chair ReportBy Andrew G. WhiteAgricultural Law, March 2026A recap of the 32nd Annual Ag Law Seminar, held on February 6, 2026, in Bloomington, Illinois.
Key Issues for Attorneys Reviewing Solar Leases in IllinoisBy Ean R. AlbersAgricultural Law, March 2026Rural practitioners, agricultural attorneys, and those practicing real estate law should be familiar with solar leases as part of sustained development advancements across Illinois. These leases can bind property for 30-50 years (or more), and be subject to various legal and economic considerations.
Report From the ChairBy Garrett ThalgottAgricultural Law, March 2026A note from the Chair of the Agricultural Law Section Council.
Unique Statutory Liens in Agriculture for Uncertain TimesBy Kyle TompkinsAgricultural Law, March 2026In Illinois, the law provides for several unique protections for agricultural stakeholders during difficult times through agricultural liens, including Landlord Lien, Agister's Lien, Thresherman's Lien, and Warehouseman's Lien.
Bock Food Law & Policy Conference Agrivoltaics ObservationsBy Alan E. StumpfEnvironmental and Natural Resources Law, February 2026Esoteric subjects for most Illinois attorneys were presented in Carbondale, Illinois at the Simmons School of Law on September 19, 2025. However, after listening to the presentations (available online through ISBA) the information presented gives us a legal and policy background helpful to know when counselling our clients’ legal matters that relate to agricultural production.
My Experience Comparing Lexis and ChatGPT Deep ResearchBy Carolyn ElefantRural Practice, February 2026As artificial intelligence develops, classic legal tools, like Westlaw and Lexis, may become less useful. In comparison to Lexis, ChatGPT Deep Research has valuable tools that could improve efficiency in your legal practice.
Oil and Gas Law Ownership Rights and Surface IssuesBy David M. ForemanAgricultural Law, February 2026Historically, an owner of real estate, in fee simple absolute, was thought to own a pie shaped cubit, extending from the center of the Earth, all the way up to the heavens. This traditional rule of ownership is a gross over simplification which, as we shall see, does not truly apply in the case of oil and gas.
Profile of Ag Law Section Council Member: Cari RinckerBy Sara Peska & Ean R. AlbersAgricultural Law, February 2026Get to know Cari Rincker, Agricultural Law Section Council Member and Editor of the Section Newsletter.
Advance Your Practice at the 32nd Annual Agricultural Law SeminarBy Ted M. NiemannAgricultural Law, January 2026Illinois State Bar Association members are invited to attend the 32nd Annual Agricultural Law Seminar—a premier continuing legal education event designed for attorneys practicing in or interested in the dynamic field of agricultural law. This year’s seminar takes place on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington, IL, running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
