Illinois gets new farmers’ contract laws

The law has always had a special fondness for farmers menaced by big city hustlers, and as of January 1, Illinois has added a new layer of protection, with the enactment of 100 new laws to protect the tillers of the soil (left) from exploitation by those who buy their products.

Among other things, the new provisions specify type size, organization, and language of contracts; prohibit unilateral termination by buyers; permit termination only for causes specified in the contract; and require such things as disease protocols for animals and seed segregation to be spelled out in the contract.