Attorneys Play Key Role in Completing Model Fertilizer Contract for ARA

Faegre & Benson is pleased to recognize the essential support and assistance by two of the firm's lawyers in drafting the Agriculture Retailers Association's (ARA) model fertilizer contract. As members of the ARA working committee, Jacob Bylund and Ross Johnson, members of the firm's agribusiness litigation practice and the food, agriculture and biofuels industry group, helped complete the contracts that are meant to serve as a voluntary tool designed to help companies better manage their risks and provide the industry with consistent terms and conditions when dealing with suppliers or customers.  Adam Hertzke also significantly contributed to the drafting.

The ARA Board of Directors initially approved this important industry tool at the 2009 ARA Conference & Expo held at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. At the conference, there was an in-depth discussion of the benefits of agricultural retailers and distributors utilizing the ARA model contract. Conference attendees and ARA members were requested to provide additional input to ARA in order to improve the document to meet the needs of the agricultural retail-distribution industry.

Click here to view a copy of the document or download a copy at the ARA website at www.aradc.org.

Bylund and Johnson have litigated and counseled clients regarding a variety of issues, including: agricultural products liability, agricultural contracts and contracts litigation, agricultural debtor-creditor litigation and counseling, agricultural intellectual property litigation, environmental and nuisance law litigation and counseling and antitrust and trade regulation. Bylund and Johnson have also presented on these topics at national industry events.