OT - Liability in pasture leasing

This is probably best directed to those in NY state (since that"s where I am), but any advice would be appreciated.

I am thinking about leasing some pastureland I own (a part of my farm) until my beef herd gets large enought to effectively graze all of it. I think the interest is out there but I want to make sure that I am covered in terms of liability. I would like to write some type of liability clause into a contract between myself and the guy who puts cattle on my land, but I don"t know what should be convered. I don"t want to make it too complicated and yet I want to make sure that I am covered.

Have any of you dealt with this issue and if so, how have you resolved it?

In general a farmer is liable if he is negligent in containment of his livestock and they escape and cause injury.

Check with local counsel is my best free advice

John T, Country Lawyer in Indiana

If someone is injured by the lessee's cow that broke through the fence owned by the lessor, the lessor is only held harmless to the extent that the lessee can pay assuming both are sued and lose. If the third party sues for a million dollars and the lessee only has $300,000 in coverage (or what ever is specified in the contract if he bothers to get the coverage) the lessor starts digging into his pocket.