Workshop to guide farm families through generation transitions

To successfully guide a farm operation from generation to generation, farm owners and families need to have a plan for where they are going and knowledge of how they will fund that transition. The Purdue Extension Succession Planning Team will hold workshops along with individualized sessions to help farms strategically structure a farm succession plan.

The “Farming Together: Cultivating Relationships and Having the Cash to Bring in the Next Generation” workshop will be a day-long event hosted at 10 Indiana locations. Workshops will be held at various locations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 12 through Feb. 2, 2023.

“Farm owners often want to start with legal matters associated with transition planning. However, farm families need to find consensus on their goals and where they envision the operation moving in the future first,” said Renee Wiatt, Purdue family business management specialist. “A large part of agreeing on goals and future vision for the farm can be achieved through proper relationships and communication, as well as knowing where to start.”

A local lawyer will be available at each of the regional meetings. After the workshop, families can schedule virtual guidance sessions for individualized discussions with the Purdue team and collaborators to discuss topics of their choice.

The cost for the workshop is $30 per person with lunch included. Registration is online. The list of workshop locations is as follows:

  • 12: Mooresville Public Library Community Room, 220 W. Harrison St., Mooresville
  • 17: Purdue Extension Clay County Office, 6656 N. State Road 59, Brazil
  • 19: Purdue Extension Bartholomew County Office, 783 S Marr Road, Columbus
  • 19: Hopewell Mennonite Church, 805 N. Main St., Kouts (Central time)
  • 25: Kokomo Public Library, 120 East Mulberry St. Room 100, Kokomo
  • 26: Purdue Extension Wayne County Office, 861 Salisbury Road, Richmond
  • 26: White County Fairgrounds, 12 N. County Road 25 E., Reynolds
  • 26: Purdue Extension Harrison County Office, 247 Atwood St., Corydon
  • 1: Spencer County Youth & Community Center, 1101 E. County Road 800 N., Chrisney
  • 2: Huntington University Habecker Dining Commons, 502 Lake St., Huntington

The Purdue Succession Planning Team is comprised of Purdue Extension educators and specialists who seek to address the needs of families planning the continuation of farm businesses. The team currently offers programming through regional workshops, succession planning presentations and farm family consultations. The workshops are made possible through grant funding from North Central Extension Risk Management Education.