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The Coffee County Farm Bureau members of the local agricultural community met for its Annual Meeting, Saturday, Aug. 10 at its office located at 225. E. Main St., Manchester.

Coffee County Farm Bureau President A.J. Teal welcomed members and guests to the meeting, which included a dinner by the FCE Clubs of Manchester, Noah and Asbury.

“Our county has been busy this year…,” Teal said. “We did win the Pinnacle award again this year, we had a president’s award and several plow awards.”

The Pinnacle Partnership Award is the highest recognition a county Farm Bureau can receive.

Coffee County native Julie Bowling served as guest speaker for the event. Bowling is an attorney and works as general counsel for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation in Columbia.

Bowling provided some tips for farmers to help protect themselves and their businesses in a variety of areas, including buying and selling cattle as well as estate planning.

“I think it is very hard for farmers and Farm Bureau people, who are some of the best people I know, ethical, faithful, people of their word, to understand that you operate sometimes in a world full of people who may look and act like they have their values but they are…lying, they don’t.”

Bowling said there are times when those in agriculture might need the assistance of a good lawyer to help protect themselves.

One tip Bowling had involves making sure insurance coverage is up to date and adequate.

“To protect your business, make sure you have reviewed your insurance, make sure you have that new piece of farm equipment when you buy it, make sure you get it added,” she said. “Make sure you take off the old one that you sold because it is not yours anymore and you don’t need to pay a premium on something you don’t own.”

Another important thing when it comes to insurance if a business operation has changed, the owner should make sure they still have the proper coverage.

“We do see a lot of times people come up with great ideas to add to their income and those are really good but they might not be covered on your current policy,” Bowling said.

Bowling also warned of potential scams facing farmers when buying and selling livestock. She shared the story of a Middle Tennessee farmer who purchased cattle he had not personally seen through an electronic transaction and was asked by the seller to wire a deposit for the transaction for the cattle before he got them.

“The buyer got suspicious when the seller said he needed to wire the rest of the money before he would deliver the cattle,” Bowling said. “Thankfully he did not wire the rest of the funds, which is good, but he did lose that $15,000 because he had ended up wiring it to a foreign bank account.”

“We need to be real cautious buying things sight unseen, buying things online, working with sellers maybe you don’t know very well,” she added.

Bowling said another scam she has seen involves the use of phony cashiers’ checks.

“It might even have the phone number for the bank on the check and you call that number and someone says the funds are there it is good, and you let the animals, piece of equipment, whatever it is leave your property, you get the cashiers’ check, you go to your bank to deposit it, guess what, it is a fake and the number you called was the accomplice of your buyer,” she said.

Bowling said the state of Tennessee has some of the best laws for agriculture on the books, and that is something farmers should be taking advantage of.

“Your Public Policy staff for the Farm Bureau Federation does a fantastic job for you,” she said. “…If you have an agreement, make sure on term of the agreement is that Tennessee law applies, because Tennessee law is good for you, we have worked really hard to make it that way and our legislature has done a great job of that. Especially on animal transactions, you want Tennessee law to apply.”

For more information about the Tennessee Farm Bureau, visit https://www.fbitn.com.