When a business disagreement reaches the farm
A disputed payment, interrupted service or disagreement over an operating arrangement can place more at risk than the amount shown on an invoice. Timing may affect planting, harvest, access to equipment or the ability to complete another contract.
Matthew Bialick approaches farm litigation by examining the agreement, the transaction history and the practical consequences of the dispute. The objective is to identify the strongest available claims or defenses and a course of action that accounts for both the legal issues and the operation.
Payment, performance and operating agreements
MJB Law evaluates disputes involving:
- Unpaid amounts under farm and agribusiness agreements.
- Disagreements over delivery, acceptance or contractual performance.
- Farm services and equipment-use arrangements.
- The interpretation, modification or termination of agreements.
- Conflicting accounts of what the parties agreed to do.
- Contract disputes involving farm businesses, owners and related entities.
Some matters turn on a signed contract. Others require the agreement to be understood through amendments, purchase orders, invoices, messages and the parties' conduct. Identifying the correct parties and the obligations each undertook is often as important as identifying the breach.
Building the case from the transaction
The initial review focuses on what was promised, what occurred, what remains disputed and what evidence supports the claimed loss. Relevant materials may include contracts, payment records, delivery documents, correspondence and records of efforts to address the problem.
A useful strategy also considers whether performance can still be completed, whether a negotiated resolution protects the operation and whether litigation is necessary. Where assets or evidence may be lost, the timing of the response becomes part of that assessment.
When the dispute extends beyond the contract
Farm contract disputes sometimes involve additional questions about who owns the property, who was entitled to receive payment or whether another party claims an interest in the proceeds.
For disputes involving crops and buyers, see grain sales and payment disputes. For disagreements involving equipment, grain bins or competing property claims, see farm property and equipment disputes.
A failure to perform a contract does not, by itself, establish fraud. Where the facts support a separate claim involving deception or diverted assets, MJB Law also evaluates fraud litigation and asset recovery.
Discuss your farm contract dispute
To begin, identify the parties, the agreement, the amount or property at issue and any upcoming deadline. Matthew can assess how the dispute fits within the firm's farm and agricultural litigation practice.