In re Ewing

583 B.R. 252
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Montana
DecidedFebruary 28, 2018
DocketCase No. 17–60803–13
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 583 B.R. 252 (In re Ewing) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Ewing, 583 B.R. 252 (Mont. 2018).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

Hon. Benjamin P. Hursh, United States Bankruptcy Court

INTRODUCTION

At Butte in said District this 28th day of February, 2018.

Before the Court is the question of confirmation of the Third Amended Plan Chapter 13 plan (the "Plan"), ECF No. 65, of debtor Joshua Richard Ewing ("Debtor").1 An objection to confirmation was filed by Debtor's grandfather and secured creditor Adam Frederick Dahlman ("Dahlman"), ECF No. 70, (the "Objection"). An evidentiary hearing on confirmation was held on February 2, 2018.

The parties presented evidence on confirmation. Although no exhibits were admitted, Debtor and his uncle, Steve Dahlman testified. At the conclusion of the hearing, confirmation of the Plan was taken under advisement. This Decision constitutes the Court's findings of fact and conclusions of law under Rules 9014 and 7052.

FACTS

A. Pre-petition events

Debtor obtained a loan from Stockman Bank of Montana. Debtor executed loan documents that included, a promissory note, agricultural loan agreement, and agricultural security agreement, (the "Loan Documents"). A Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statement and Montana Effective Financing Statement were also filed with the Montana Secretary of State. These filings had blanket collateral descriptions that included equipment, crops, farm products, farm equipment, rights to payment, and payments under any governmental agricultural diversion programs.

Dahlman agreed to guaranty repayment of this loan. At some point after obtaining the loan, Debtor was unable to make the payments required under the loan as a result of an injury he suffered in connection with work he was performing. As a result, Stockman enforced the guaranty against Dahlman. Dahlman paid off the loan balance and Stockman assigned all of the loan documents to him.

Dahlman initiated proceedings in state court seeking a judgment and possession of the collateral during the pendency of those proceedings. Within those proceedings, Dahlman alleged that he "holds a first perfected security interest in and to the Collateral."2 In a later proceeding, the state court entered an order finding that "Dahlman asserted a prima facie case establishing he has a perfected security interest in the collateral that is subject of this action."3 While the state action was *256pending, Debtor filed his bankruptcy petition.

B. Debtor's Bankruptcy

Debtor filed a voluntary chapter 13 petition, schedules and statements on August 10, 2017. The Claims Register reflects 5 creditors, including Debtor's parents have filed proof of claims. Debtor is employed as a school bus driver, as an insurance adjustor, and is paid for labor he performs on his parents' farm. Debtor's family has been in agricultural operations in Montana for generations. Dahlman is Debtor's grandfather. Witness Steve Dahlman is Debtor's uncle and is experienced in farm operations.

Debtor's physical assets include various pieces of farm equipment including a 1997 John Deere Mo. 9600 Combine; 1996 John Deere 30' Mo. 930R Combine Header; Concord Mo. 4812 Air Drill-Seeder; Concord Mo. AS-3400 Air Drill-Cart; and a F/S 70 ' 400 Gal. Honda 3.0 Engine Sprayer (collectively referred to as the "Farm Equipment"). Along with the Farm Equipment, Debtor owns a multitude of vehicles. Debtor also has an insurance claim against RCIS, which is the subject of arbitration (the "Arbitration Claim"). Dahlman has a security interest in any settlement payment to Debtor related to the Arbitration Claim.

1. Dahlman's Proof of Claim

Dahlman filed a proof of claim prior to the claims bar date indicating that he was owed $155,000.00, and that his claim was fully secured.4 Debtor filed an objection to Dahlman's claim, which the Court sustained in part, after notice and a hearing, by Order entered on December 11, 2017 (ECF No. 46), and allowed Dahlman a secured claim in the amount of $14,900, secured by certain farm equipment.5 The remainder of Claim 3 was allowed as an unsecured nonpriority claim.6

2. The Plan

The Plan provides for monthly payments in the amount of $200 for the first 12 months and $1,000 per month for the remainder of the 60-month plan term. Total funding under the Plan is $50,400. The Plan pays Dahlman's allowed secured claim of $14,900 as an impaired secured claim at an interest rate of 5%, and provides for a distribution to creditors with *257allowed unsecured claims of at least $23,730.

Debtor's Plan is predicated on his completion of custom farming for his parents at their farm. Initially, Debtor will custom farm his parents' 1,200 acres. He will plant 50% of the land in crops and 50% will be left fallow. Although two other parties have expressed interest in retaining Debtor to perform custom farming, they have not yet committed. Debtor does not have a written farming agreement with his parents or anyone else. Generally, there are no written agreements for custom farming in the area Debtor plans to conduct his operations.

Debtor's sprayer, tractor, and seeder are all operational. Although Debtor's combine needs repairs, he can perform those repairs himself, prior to harvest and estimated that the maximum cost of repairs would be $6,000. Under the Plan Debtor intends to apply three fallow applications, three chemical applications, two crop spraying applications, one seeding application, and one harvest on his parents' farm. Debtor estimated his gross income for the first 600 acres as $35,500, and that his expenses will total approximately $16,500, leaving an estimated profit of $16,000 which will enable him to make the $1,000 monthly Plan payment. Debtor itemized his custom farming expenses as fuel, insurance, and an estimate for repairs based upon an average of his previous 4 years of annual repair expenses. Although this 4 year analysis did not include the cost of repairing the combine, Debtor's income from his other employment as a school bus driver, and as an insurance adjustor will be available to pay for any unanticipated expenses that he might suffer.

Debtor's approach to farming differs from his Uncle Steve Dahlman's approach in a couple of ways. First, Debtor does not operate new equipment. Steve Dahlman testified that older equipment has a higher probability of breaking down. Depending on the timing of an equipment breakdown, an equipment breakdown could negatively impact overall crop yield.

Second, unlike Debtor, Steve Dahlman does not have outside employment. According to Steve Dahlman, Debtor's outside employment may affect his ability to custom farm because spraying must be done early in the morning or late in the evening. Debtor's other employment may cause him to miss an opportunity to spray because of a rain or heat event, which reduces yield.

And, third, if Steve Dahlman was custom farming he would obtain all required insurance and bonding protection associated with commercial chemical application in custom farming.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
583 B.R. 252, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-ewing-mtb-2018.