Divorce and the family farm

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
So after 30 years of mutual dislike, distrust and extra marital affairs my parents have decided to get divorced. It’s for the best but I really don’t want to be dragged into it. I haven’t got too much respect for either of them, especially my father who has spent decades as a depressive alcoholic.

I have now run the farm for the past three years- both my parents have an outside business interest. I am technically a partner in the business but only 0.5%. Dad is a 98.50% shareholder. Conceivably we might have to sell the lot to set things straight between my parents and my brothers (who are not involved in the farm). I’m 31 and was hoping to push the farm on to be a much better, more profitable unit. Instead I may be without a business and may have to leave my farm cottage. I’m pretty pee'd off and vulnerable having made considerable personal and career sacrifices to join the business at their request.

Does anyone have any of their own experiences/advice that they could share? Sorry to unload it on TFF but there’s not really anyone I can speak to, especially regarding the business aspects. I’m sure you all know what small rural communities are like!
 
Need a specialist solicitor ASAP. Make sure the old man (and yourself) do not get wrapped up in any emotional-alities- they don't count in a court room. A solicitor will know roughly what sort of deal is likely required, by the sounds of it the judge will insist on 50:50 but we do not know enough details. Get out of there ASAP and hope that they settle quickly, you can spend A LOT of money with solicitors going back and worth, letters, phone calls, mediation, ad infinitum, that is how they work.
 

Landrover

Member
If I was you I would be in touch with a solicitor tomorrow and get some advice as soon as you can ! I'm sure someone on here can recommend one in your area. If not if your a member of the NFU they have some good ones. Sister is going through a horrible divorce at the moment and is seeing the benefits of having a very good solicitor
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
Thank you all for the advice. A friend of mine has recently returned to the area from London to work in a local law firm with a good reputation. I’ll ask him what the best route forward is.

My worry is spending a shed load of money on legal fees when I don’t have a vast amount of savings as it is. Hopefully it will be fairly amicable- but who knows!
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Had a good mate and his father bought him a farm of his own to make a good start at life. Lucky I know but he was a keen bloke, honest and hard working. Got going well, young family etc etc. Dad got divorced and he had to be out in two weeks,


Family (n)
 
Good job for an ag manufacturer, plenty of scope for progression in that sector, both at home and abroad.

If we had no farm though (and if dad hadn’t been so unstable, leaving mum in bits) I would have stayed living in Scotland. My best mates are there and I love the hills.
Would you get your job back with them?

might be a wee welding business and a sh!tty farm coming available in the hills here:whistle:
 

rose pilchett

Member
Location
ie
Sh1tty bar steward parents again, feel sorry for the OP and multi , my father was and still is a lying useless booze hound every shooting season
Happy to string you along so the work gets done to facilitate their lifestyles but unwilling to hand over the reigns as promised/ alluded to
 

Flasheart

Member
Location
N.Suffolk
There are a lot of things which will decide how the divorce is settled, it won't necessarily be a 50: 50 split between your parents. As a partner in the business and probably the heir apparent your situation will be considered, but ultimately it is a dispute between your parents and good legal advice is a must for them.

There is little direct input you or your siblings can have in the process.

Speaking from experience, expensive and bitter. I divorced and fought hard , successfully, to keep the farm together for my son and future generations.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 35.0%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 28 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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