Minnesota legal services providers launched the MFFLP to mitigate the effects of the farm crisis in the 1980s by delivering legal services to low-income farmers throughout Minnesota, especially regarding keeping their homesteads. In 1986, the Minnesota legislature passed an amendment to the already existing state funding statute for legal services, as well as an additional filing fee, both of which were specifically designated for the work of the MFFLP.

To be eligible to receive assistance from the MFFLP, Minnesota statute requires that applicants have a low Adjusted Gross Income as reported on their most recent IRS 1040 tax return, and that they have a debt/asset ratio that exceeds 50%.

Minnesota statute requires that most farms facing foreclosures be offered mediation prior to foreclosure or repossession. Consequently, MFFLP attorneys and paralegals, drawing on collaborative resources, most frequently provide representation, consultation, and negotiation services to clients as they go through Minnesota Farmer-Lender Mediation. MFFLP staff members seek to prevent foreclosure of family farm homesteads while also working to ensure that a farm can continue to operate by preventing the repossession of farm machinery, livestock, and crops. MFFLP also provides a variety of legal assistance and community services to advocate that financially distressed farmers receive fair treatment from private lenders, federal farm credit agencies, and other oganizations.

MFFLP operates in concert with state and local bar associations and relies heavily on volunteer attorneys and bar associations located in rural areas. Some parts of MFFLP provide reduced fee contracts with private attorneys, and require that clients pay a small portion of such an attorney’s fees.

Some MFFLP paralegals have a farm background, which allows them to use their personal familiarity with financial problems experienced by small farmers.

Farmers Legal Action Group, based in St. Paul, provides training and support for MFFLP staff, as well as a statewide, toll-free hotline for farmers. The toll-free number is 877-860-4349FLAG also publishes community legal education materials designed to help farmers and farm advocates resolve legal problems.