Friday, Eldredge & Clark lawyers have practical experience in serving the legal and business needs of agricultural producers, food processors and their suppliers. We speak the language and understand the concerns of the agribusiness sector, and have particular experience assisting clients who have leading positions in the poultry industry and that are commodity producers and processors. In addition to representing large agri-businesses, cooperatives, and individual farmers, we also represent large non-profit organizations that work to address the entire spectrum of public policy and governmental issues facing agriculture. Our counsel is multidisciplinary, encompassing transactional, regulatory, and litigation practice areas.
Client focus
- Poultry and other livestock processors
- Leading poultry industry association
- Cooperatives
- Leading processor of grain and other food products
- Supplier of pesticides and agricultural chemicals
Services to agribusiness companies
Antitrust
Several agricultural cooperatives have relied on our firm for successful defense against antitrust claims in federal court. We also counsel agricultural industry associations on the antitrust implications of discussions between direct competitors, information exchanges, and attempts to set industry standards.
Family business
Family-owned farms and agricultural companies pose unique estate and tax planning challenges, and our lawyers are skilled at all aspects of business asset and succession planning. We help agricultural clients achieve personal and business objectives through effective corporate and tax strategies that emphasize estate planning, business succession planning, and financial and liquidity planning.
Government relations
Our firm represents industry associations and individual agribusiness companies on matters involving their relations with Arkansas state government.
Labor and employment
We have handled both the labor relations and employee benefits work for the turkey processing operations of a major meat processing company.
Tax
We successfully represented a major food processor in restructuring the Arkansas manufacturing tax exemption on tangible personal property used directly in manufacturing and processing, so that it achieves the necessary public policy objectives while supporting our client’s competitive objectives.
