Not one-size-fits-all: Succession planning through shared experience
This past winter we held Farm Succession School in Southeastern Massachusetts. I so much enjoyed being with the farmers in these classes, hearing their stories and shared experience, and seeing people connect with each other on sensitive issues close to the heart. I saw each person express such a deep love for agriculture and boundless gratitude for the opportunities they had to farm their land and feed their communities, as well as their desires, hopes, and dreams to see their land remain in farming so that future generations may experience the same gift.
Land For Good partnered with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) to provide this opportunity to farmers. This school met three times for a day-long session once a month to cover the wide range of topics involved in a succession plan. Over the course of these months, participants made headway on their succession planning. Each class involved several lessons, guest speaker presentations, work periods, and time for sharing. This format allowed plenty of opportunity to dive deep into any (and all!) of the various planning topics, which ranged from family communication and meeting schedules, to legal entities and business planning. Farmers received a thick three-ring binder filled with lessons, worksheets and planning aids, reading materials, and, yes, homework assignments!
Guest speakers provided insight into some of the more challenging and complex questions about transferring a farm. This year our guest speakers included Jon Jaffe, Farm Business Consultant of Farm Credit East, who presented about financial planning during farm succession. Hearing Jon speak was a treat for us and for participants, as he brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his years of working with farms, and helped co-design the curriculum for Farm Succession School. His years working on succession plans provided for many stories of various farm families’ experiences. Additionally, Danielle Justo, Commercial Real Estate Co-Chair of Rich May Law, spoke about estate planning and legal tools used during transferring a farm, and Sara Barnes, Executive Director of Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Center, spoke about communication styles and skills to support farmers through tough conversations with family members, employees, and potential successors.
There is a lot of technical information to cover in our lesson plans, but one of the most powerful elements of Farm Succession School for many farmers is just being there in the same room with other farm families who are planning for or going through farm succession.
Hear from participants
Participants shared what proved most valuable or helpful about the succession school:
“Interaction with other participants.”
“Hearing different points of view.”
“Listening to other people who are in the same situation.”
“Discovering the resources that are available.”
“How important mediation is.”
“Being prompted to get going!”
“Made me accountable.”
While each farm presents its own unique challenges during succession, there are many common themes. One farmer may bring up a question about a certain topic that opens up a whole conversation about different approaches, tools, or experiences with that certain topic. For example, many farmers do not have an identified successor, yet most would like to see their land remain in active production (“Gaining Insights” AFT and LFG 2016). A traditional strategy has been to pass the farm on to the next generation within the family, yet for many farmers today, that is not an option—leaving them to navigate both the logistical and emotional challenges of figuring out how to honor their legacy while passing the farm on to someone outside the family. Hearing other farmers share how they are approaching this two-pronged challenge can be inspiring and encouraging. For those farmers whose children are considering taking over the operation, there are questions about what approaches to use: creating a trust to transfer ownership over time, entering into a partnership, or perhaps a lease-to-own might be the right fit. Professional advisors can answer the technical questions, but it is invaluable to talk with another farmer about the pros and cons, long term and short term advantages, unexpected challenges, and how different methods achieved various goals.
More from participants
Participants shared what they would tell a fellow farmer in their situation who is thinking about attending the succession school:
“It is a must even though you think you know all.”
“I would recommend it as a way of clarifying issues.”
“Do it now. Don’t wait.”
“Sign up even if you have doubts.”
“Go! Sharing was such a big part for me. And the knowledge/resources you gain will be immeasurable and invaluable going forward.”
“It’s well worth the time.”
“Very well worth it. Very glad I took the time to do this!”
“Definitely a good investment of your time.”
Want to be notified when the next Farm Succession School is happening? Please complete this form. If you have a request for a location, state or region, or venue suggestions, include them in your form submission!
Special thanks to our funder Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ (MDAR) Agricultural Business Training Program. Thanks to the Taunton Public Library for allowing us to use their space!
