The first of the 2018 Rancher Leasing Workshops series covering grazing, hunting and livestock leases is set for Feb. 26 in Cat Spring.

The workshop, hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, addresses the legal risks associated with agricultural leases.

The goal is to educate landowners, farmers and ranchers on the importance of using written leases as a risk management tool, said Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist in Amarillo.

The workshop will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Cat Spring Ag Hall, 13035 Hall Road, Cat Spring. The free program is funded by the Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center.

Lunch will be provided. Participants need to RSVP by Feb. 19 to Lashmet at tdowell@tamu.edu or Kara Matheney, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Washington County, at 979-277-6212.

Joining Lashmet on the program will be Greg Kaase, AgriLife Extension economist in College Station.

“We will discuss the potential legal implications of failing to have a sufficient written lease and the potential legal issues and litigation that the development of written leases can help avoid,” she said. “The workshops will also familiarize participants with key terms and provisions that should be considered in lease negotiations.”

Participants will receive a leasing handbook that covers legal issues, designing lease payment structures and calculating payments and landowner liability. The book also will provide checklists and sample lease forms for negotiating lease agreements.

This program was held at four locations last year and surveys of 250 participants came back 100 percent saying they would recommend this program to their family and friends. The program will be scheduled at multiple locations later this year, Lashmet said.