Agri-Law summit to strengthen legal support for Ohio’s agricultural businesses

MARYSVILLE, OHIO — Attorneys interested in serving Ohio’s agricultural sector will have a new opportunity to build their knowledge at the Agri-Law Summit 2025 on Aug. 14 at Retreat 21 in Marysville.

The conference is co-hosted by the Agricultural and Resource Law Program at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and the Ohio State Bar Association’s (OSBA) Agricultural Law Committee.

“Agriculture plays a major role in Ohio’s history and economy, and we want to ensure there are attorneys who can meet the unique needs of our agricultural businesses,” says Peggy Hall, director of Ohio State’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program.

The CFAES team partnered with the OSBA Agricultural Law Committee to plan the event to help increase the number of attorneys who can effectively represent agricultural clients, she said.

“There’s a shortage of attorneys who understand the issues and laws that impact agriculture,” Hall said.

The summit’s theme, “Growing Our Competency in Counseling Ag Clients,” reflects its dual focus on high-level legal issues and practical skills.

The conference will include both big picture sessions on current and emerging issues for agriculture and practice-oriented sessions that tackle the daily legal needs of agricultural clients, said Morgan Lyles, chair of the OSBA Agricultural Law Committee.

“We want to sharpen skills in dealing with existing issues while also preparing for upcoming needs and issues for agriculture,” he said.

Hall, a widely respected leader in the field, is also an attorney and CFAES faculty who teaches agribusiness law and directs outreach through the Ohio State Farm Office. She holds degrees in natural resource policy from Ohio State and law from the University of Wyoming and has earned national recognition for her service to agricultural law.

The Agricultural and Resource Law Program is part of Ohio State University Extension, CFAES’ outreach arm. The program leads research and educational efforts on legal issues affecting rural landowners and farm businesses across the state. Its team also manages the Ag Law Library, a resource hub that provides Ohio-specific legal tools and guidance on topics ranging from estate planning and land use to zoning, tax law, and water rights.

Conference topics include:

• agency updates. Tracy Intihar, assistant director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, will provide an overview of policy developments and agency priorities.
• emerging legal issues. A panel featuring Harrison Pittman of the National Agricultural Law Center, Ryan Conklin of Wright & Moore Law Co., Chad Endsley of Ohio Farm Bureau, and CFAES agricultural economist Barry Ward will discuss pressing legal challenges and future concerns in agriculture.
• cybersecurity preparedness. Merisa Bowers of the Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company will offer insights on preventing and managing cyber risks and data breaches.
• Ohio legislative outlooks. Experts from the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association, Ohio Farm Bureau, and CFAES will lead a roundtable on current ag-related legislative trends in the state.
• practical legal skills. Breakout sessions will cover legal strategies for managing farm risk, advising new farmland owners, supporting value-added ag enterprises, utilizing tax incentives, and drafting LLC operating agreements.

The Supreme Court of Ohio has approved the event for 6.25 continuing legal education credits, including one hour of professional conduct.

Scholarships are available for law students and recent graduates through the Paul L. Wright Endowment in Agricultural Law, which honors Ohio State’s first agricultural law professor.

For more information and to register, visit farmoffice.osu.edu/agri-law.