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Agribusiness

Your legal partner in agribusiness

One of the largest corporate and commercial law firms in Brisbane, offers the services of a dedicated team of agribusiness lawyers with a genuine understanding of the unique needs of this sector and its supply chain – from the farm and production to marketing and sales.

Our Brisbane-based lawyers act for businesses in a broad range of industries around Australia, including:

  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Horticulture
  • Poultry
  • Dairy
  • Beef.

We have represented many large organisations with varied interests, including processors, transporters, exporters, industry representative bodies, research and development organisations and government bodies.

Our commercial lawyers in Brisbane also regularly advise leading agribusiness organisations in relation to capital raisings, trade documentation and agreements.

As well as in rural Queensland, our Brisbane-based lawyers have acted for many parties across northern and central Australia who wish to buy and sell grazing and cropping properties.

Cooper Grace Ward and our agribusiness lawyers have been independently recognised in the Doyle’s Guide coverage of leading Agribusiness Lawyers and Agribusiness Law Firms in Queensland.

Privatisation and corporatisation

We have been involved in the privatisation and corporatisation of several industry sectors, including cotton and horticultural industries. Our team has also advised on post-privatisation issues in the egg industry.

Our corporatisation involvement extends from large manufacturers to cooperative enterprises and from processors to growers and producers.

Agribusiness lawyers – adding value to your business

We understand the unique legal issues facing organisations in the agribusiness sector, and clients benefit from our ability to establish mutually beneficial contacts within their industry, which in turn adds value to their business.

We provide legal services to clients in agribusiness and primary production in relation to:

  • Trade agreements for distribution, marketing and licensing, including preparing terms of trade and distribution for exporters and domestic use, advising in relation to Incoterms and preparing agreements for use in Australia and overseas, including anti-corruption provisions
  • Capital raisings and initial public offerings (IPOs)
  • Commercial advice and agreements
  • Conduct and compensation agreements with coal seam gas companies
  • Cooperatives
  • Directors’ duties
  • Workplace relations and safety
  • Industry restructuring
  • Intellectual property, including in relation to Australian and international trademarks
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Revenue, tax and superannuation
  • Rural property acquisitions and sales
  • Use of rural land to create alternative income streams, including solar farms
  • Supply chain and chain of responsibility issues
  • System audits for legal compliance, including addressing anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and foreign corruption legislative requirements
  • Business succession, including estate planning and passing on the family farm
  • Stakeholder agreements
  • Share farming and agistment agreements
  • Biosecurity legal issues
  • Litigation and dispute resolution.

To seek advice from a specialist corporate lawyer about an agribusiness matter, call (07) 3231 2444.

Key contacts

Laura Gahan
Partner
Clinton Jackson
Partner
Leanne O’Neill
Partner
Linda Tapiolas
Partner
David Grace
Consultant
Cass Palmer-Field
Associate

Publications

Igniting success through bushfire managements plans - why you should have one

A bushfire management plan may be viewed as optional for many landholders, but neglecting your fire management obligations may put you and your business at significant risk. Discover the crucial reasons why the implementation and adherence to a bushfire management plan are important to safeguard you and your business.

Report on Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill 2023 due soon

This article serves as a progress update on the Bill, with a refresher on its purposes and a summary of feedback from the consultation process.

Growing green: navigating the path to net zero in agribusiness

So far, only the largest polluters in the private sector are subject to carbon emission regulation under the Climate Change Act 2022. However, with pressure mounting to extend the reach of the legislation in order to achieve ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050, it is only a matter of time before other businesses – including agribusiness – will be required to take further action.