Agricultural Law
Practical, plain spoken counsel for farms, agribusinesses, and the families who own and work the land.
Protect What You Own
Why Transcendens Law

Practical, plain spoken counsel for farms, agribusinesses, and the families who own and work the land.

Practically, yes. Georgia recognizes oral leases for agricultural land under a year, but written leases prevent disputes over rent, term, and use. Longer leases require writing to be enforceable.
Heirs property is family land inherited by multiple heirs without clear title, held as undivided fractional interests. On a Georgia farm, heirs property can prevent USDA program participation, block financing, and lead to forced partition sales. Resolving it usually requires a quiet title action or a partition proceeding.
A conservation easement restricts certain future uses of the land — usually development — but generally allows continued agricultural use. The specifics depend on the easement terms, which are permanent, so drafting matters.
Yes, through a deed to secure debt (the Georgia equivalent of a mortgage) or through USDA Farm Service Agency loan programs. If the farm has heirs property issues or title problems, those need to be resolved before a lender will accept it as collateral.
A farm succession plan determines who takes over the farm operation and who inherits the land, how the transition is funded, and how it handles family members who want out versus those who want to stay in. Georgia farm families should start the process at least 5 to 10 years before the expected transition, especially if there are USDA programs, conservation easements, or timber agreements tied to the land.
Last reviewed: July 15, 2026