FARMING families will be offered legal advice.

A farming forum will offer advice at Pershore College from lawyers at MFG Solicitors on everything from how to have productive inter-family discussions to tax and succession planning.

The seminar, from 4.30pm to 6.30pm on Monday July 3 will feature MFG's agricultural law expert Helen Gough.

Also presenting will be mfg partner and tax expert Gary Priest.

Miss Gough said: “Around 66 percent of farming families don’t have anything in place around succession planning, which leaves the business and the home in a very difficult place in the event of illness, death or retirement.

"All too often we find that farming families have been misinformed and don’t always know what options are available to them.

"They are often worried about serious tax consequences so do nothing in an attempt to avoid them, which only serves to make the situation worse.

“Many families think they have to retire in order to begin to hand over the business to the next generation but that is not the case.

"Effective communication and planning are the key things for a successful transition of the farm and family fortune.

“This seminar is an opportunity to dispel the myths and misunderstandings around succession and other legal matters that affect all farming families.

“We encourage as many farmers and their families as possible to come along.”

To attend the seminar, contact Elizabeth Armstrong at MFG on 0845 55 55 321 or e-mail elizabeth.armstrong@mfgsolicitors.com