Dean Mead Co-Hosts Fifth Annual Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference in Orlando

Dean Mead Co-Hosts Fifth Annual Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference in Orlando

The 2015 Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference (FAFMC) was held at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate August 27 – 28 with a record-breaking crowd of nearly 200 attendees. This year’s educational sessions provided insight into trends important to farmers and agribusiness stakeholders, as well as presentations on economic forecasting, risk management, estate planning, water policy, food safety, regulatory issues and external factors influencing cash flow.

The conference is made possible through corporate sponsorships and a USDA specialty crop block grant provided by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Dean Mead is among the founding sponsors for this conference. Each year, members of our Agribusiness Industry Team participate as speakers on topics ranging from Water Law to Estate Planning and Tax.

Dr. Paul Genho

This year’s program featured a stellar line up of national and regional experts with extensive ties to the agriculture industry. Dr. Ed Seifried, Professor Emeritus of Economics and Business at Lafayette College opened the conference by providing the U.S. Economic Update addressing current economic conditions and issues surrounding Greece, China and disparaging interest rates. Dr. Roger McEowen, Director of the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation talked about tax issues impacting producers and planning strategies to take advantage of looming legislative prospects. Dr. Paul Genho, President of Farmland Reserve, Inc. led a riveting discussion on Investing in Ag Land. He covered his methodology of balancing risk and returns on ag land investments. He also explained why North America could, and would have to feed the world.

One of the more popular sessions featured William Messina, Agricultural Economist with the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Messina delved into the current state of Cuba’s agricultural sector and its anticipated implications for the future of Florida growers.

Dana Apfelbaum and Brad Gould

Dean Mead attorneys, Brad Gould and Dana Apfelbaum gave a presentation on Tax and Succession Planning for Agricultural Businesses. Highlights included an overview of federal tax issues concerning farmers and agribusiness and tax efficient succession planning. Please click here for a copy of their slide deck and the supplemental set of materials that detail many key provisions of the tax code that impact agribusinesses.  You can also view the video recording of Brad and Dana’s presentation.

Commissioner Adam Putnam

Keynote speaker, Adam Putnam, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services discussed the importance of a comprehensive water policy that would benefit the state of Florida. With the 2016 Legislative Session fast approaching, a number of attendees had questions regarding the EPA’s Clean Water Rule, its impact on Florida’s waters and the impending water crisis.

For more information or copies of the presentation materials, please visit http://www.fafmc.org.