Industry

Emerging Market Areas

Members of Dean Mead’s Agribusiness Team are on the cutting edge of developments within emerging market areas that offer opportunities to Florida clients.

Alternative Uses

Due to operational challenges (for example, emerging diseases such as “greening”) and market constraints, clients seek our trusted advice on methods for converting acreage to alternative uses. We offer guidance on alternatives that include utility formation, public-private partnerships and other creative responses to market conditions, as well as new regulatory options like carbon sequestration of farmland as a way to address climate change concerns.

Biofuel

Dean Mead’s Agribusiness attorneys are conducting extensive research on biofuel tax incentives in Florida agriculture so that we can counsel clients on the tax consequences of converting from existing crops to new ones that have biofuel applications. We can also advise on the incentives and efficiencies of creating renewable energy from sources such as biomass, which has direct application for power generation.

Carbon Credit Trading

Our lawyers are conducting extensive research on carbon credit trading in an effort to better help our clients take advantage of this new and evolving field. The appeal of carbon credit trading is that it can provide landowners with a revenue source for activities they may already be promoting or would promote. While Florida does not have an established market for trading carbon credits at this time, state and federal regulations as well as market forces can provide future momentum.  As carbon trading evolves, our Team will be in a position to counsel clients on how to take advantage of the latest developments to achieve their objectives.

Foreign Trade

When agribusiness companies are involved in the import or export of agricultural products, we advise on the full range of Food & Drug Administration requirements – from country of origin and country of production labeling, to identification of food additives, to compliance with all customs and inspection rules.