Farmers make decisions every day to improve their farm business and provide for their family. Have you planned for your family and the farm’s long-term sustainability?

Farm succession from one generation to the next can be overwhelming for families when added to the daily decisions necessary to run the farm. If a farmer is lucky, succession will be something experienced just twice in a lifetime: once when taking over the business and again when passing it on to the next generation. 

Farm succession requires early planning and good communication. University of Wisconsin Extension in Fond du Lac, Dodge, Washington and Ozaukee counties will host a three-part series, “Cultivating Your Farm Business’s Future,” at the Golf Club at Camelot, Highway 67, Lomira, focusing on some of the most important considerations as farm families plan for the future.

A one-day meeting on farm business succession on Jan. 11 will focus on the details for farm business transition retirement topics. Whether you have a successor or not, this planning is important for your future. 

Two half-day meetings are planned for February. On Feb. 8, a session on estate planning will discuss important topics as you consider your estate plan. On Feb. 15, learn how retirement planning can be impacted by farm succession.

Whether you are planning to transfer a viable business to the next generation, planning for your own retirement or providing a plan for your heirs, this three-part series will offer something for every farm business and farm family. 

The registration fee for the one-day farm business succession meeting is $30 per person or $50 per couple. The estate planning and retirement planning meetings are each $20 per person or $35 per couple. Registration for each individual session is due one week prior to the workshop. The registration fee includes meals, speaker fees and a resource guide for each individual.

This program is based upon work supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture under Award Number 2015-48200-24226.

For more information or to register for the “Cultivating Your Farm Business’s Future” series, view a copy of the flyer online. Questions can also be directed to UW Extension Fond du Lac County Dairy and Livestock Agent Tina Kohlman at 920-929-3180, Dodge County Agriculture Educator Amanda Young at 920-385-3790 or Washington/Ozaukee County Agriculture Educator Steph Plaster at 262-335-4482.

Source: UW Extension