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Food and Agribusiness

Ice Miller's Food and Agribusiness Group includes attorneys and agribusiness professionals with a variety of backgrounds across the Midwest and Washington D.C. We represent food and agriculture companies across the country while monitoring the issues facing the industry.

In today's fast-paced world, how you do business changes daily, and it is more critical than ever to stay ahead of the issues. We provide our clients with relevant information so they can make the right decisions for their businesses or personal lives. Our team stays engaged with industry leaders, companies and organizations while providing strategic advice and connections to our clients.
 

Managing Risk in Today's Food and Agricultural Industry Requires New and Innovative Services

Managing risk is critically important to the food and agriculture industry. Farm operations and agricultural businesses today expect more from their advisors to help mitigate risk. Ice Miller understands the market, business, technical, government policy and regulatory risks facing food and agriculture businesses. We help our clients: 

  • Analyze and evaluate new and even non-traditional business partnerships and ventures
  • Identify new and diversified sources of financing
  • Protect and adopt innovative technologies
  • Protect significant assets, innovations and brands
  • Develop transition plans for the next generation of their business
  • Interpret and influence state and federal policies and regulations

Understanding Your Business

Ice Miller understands and tailors its services to the unique needs of each client, and draws on the firm's depth of experience to serve clients in the food and agriculture industry.  Our attorneys also know that food and agricultural businesses may require different legal services depending on their size, strategic focus, customer base and geographic reach.  We consistently monitor and analyze the market, business and policy developments that affect our clients.

The Ice Miller Food and Agribusiness Team serves a variety of clients in the food and agribusiness industry, including: 

  • Agriculture associations
  • Agricultural equipment manufacturers and dealers
  • Agricultural finance and equity capital providers
  • Ag tech companies
  • Animal health innovators
  • Breweries and distilleries
  • Cooperatives
  • Farm operators
  • Food technology companies and processors
  • Grain handlers and processors
  • Input providers – seed, chemical and fertilizer producers and distributors
  • Livestock and dairy producers and processors
  • Renewable energy producers, including biofuels, wind and other energy sources
  • Restaurants
  • Transportation firms and distributors

A Culture of Hard Work and Collaboration

Agriculture's deep-rooted culture is built on hard work, loyalty, teamwork and respect. These same qualities that make American agriculture great also define Ice Miller’s culture and commitment to build, protect and grow our clients' businesses. We respect your business needs and will work where you need us most. We build teams of attorneys for each client to ensure that all the relevant issues and legal options are considered. Ice Miller's connections to and relationships with leaders in the agricultural industry run deep; from agribusiness, trade associations, and academia to local, state and federal government. Our industry connections allow us to facilitate new, collaborative relationships for clients.

Representative Experience

  • CLAAS. Ice Miller has worked closely with CLAAS of America, Claas Omaha Inc., and their parent company, Claas KGaA for over two decades, helping them on a wide variety of legal matters throughout North America including advice on distributor agreements, product liability and warranty claims, labor issues, and general risk management.
  • CountryMark. Ice Miller represents CountryMark on policy and regulatory issues at both the state and federal level.  Our attorneys have also assisted with a major biofuels grant submission to the U.S. Department of Energy as well as corporate representation on the acquisition of assets of a Midwestern oil and gas exploration and production company.  

Representative Work

  • Ag economic development
  • Ag immigration
  • Ag infrastructure projects - financing, etc. 
  • Ag policy
  • Ag start-up support
  • Cooperatives
  • Confined animal feeding operations
  • Corporate governance
  • Environmental regulatory
  • Family business matters
  • Farm labor
  • Farm real estate; farmland acquisitions
  • Financing
  • Food business start-up support
  • Food ingredient / labeling
  • Food Safety Modernization Act
  • Food supply chain
  • Franchise and distribution
  • Grain elevator acquisition 
  • Industry consolidation
  • Intellectual property disputes - ag / food technology
  • Livestock / CAFO litigation
  • Sales, mergers and acquisitions
  • Strategic planning and partnerships
  • Start-ups / ventures
  • Succession planning
  • Tax planning
  • Wetlands disputes

Professionals

Name Position Phone Email
Anthony P. Aaron Partner 317-236-2484
Holiday W. Banta Partner 317-236-5882
Amy Berg Partner 317-236-2247
Jason Berne Partner 312-726-2586
Adam Calisoff Partner 312-726-2505
Timothy J. Capen Partner 317-236-2425
Joshua L. Christie Partner 317-236-5802
Terri A. Czajka Partner 317-236-2262
Jeffery C. Dack Partner 317-236-2304
Matt Ehinger Partner 317-236-2183
John R. Gregg Partner 317-236-5817
Frank A. Hoffman Partner 317-236-2340
Alice A. Kelly Partner 312-726-8128
Mark Kromkowski Partner 312-726-2561
Chris Michael Partner 614-462-1148
Lawren K. Mills Partner 317-236-2190
Drew J. Miroff Partner 317-236-2267
Timothy E. Ochs Partner 317-236-5952
Ryan McCabe Poor Partner 317-236-5976
Melissa Proffitt Partner-in-Charge of Client Relations 317-236-2470
Freedom S.N. Smith Partner 317-236-5893
Scott Snively Partner 317-236-2375
Dale Stackhouse Partner 317-236-2401
Catherine Strauss Office Managing Partner 614-462-1069
Justin Swindells Partner 312-726-8156
John R. Thornburgh Partner 317-236-2405
Richard J. Thrapp Partner 317-236-2442
Thomas A. Walsh Partner 317-236-5946
Michael A. Wukmer Partner 317-236-2439
William J. Barath Senior Counsel 614-462-2311
Lesa F. Dietrick Principal 317-236-2252
Sherry A. Fabina-Abney Senior Counsel 317-236-2446
Philip C. Genetos Senior Counsel 317-236-2307
Joe Heaton Of Counsel 202-807-4012
Donald M. Snemis Senior Counsel 317-236-2341
Sarah Correll Associate 317-236-5929
Casey Wright Associate 317-236-2461
Katie Glick Practice Group Director 317-236-2245
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