Workshop to guide farm families through generational transitions

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — 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 is hosting workshops along with individualized sessions to help 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 daylong event hosted at ten Indiana locations. Each workshop session will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning on January 12 and running through February 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 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 workshop cost is $30 per person, with lunch included. Registration is available online. The list of statewide workshop locations is as follows:• January 12: Mooresville Public Library Community Room, 220 W. Harrison St., Mooresville.• January 17: Purdue Extension Clay County Office, 6656 N. State Road 59, Brazil.• January 19: Purdue Extension Bartholomew County Office, 783 S. Marr Road, Columbus.• January 19 (Central time): Hopewell Mennonite Church, 805 N. Main St., Kouts.• January 25: Kokomo Public Library, 120 East Mulberry St., Room 100, Kokomo.• January 26: Purdue Extension Wayne County Office, 861 Salisbury Road, Richmond.• January 26: White County Fairgrounds, 12 N. 25 E., Reynolds.• January 26: Purdue Extension Harrison County Office, 247 Atwood St., Corydon.• February 1: Spencer County Youth & Community Center, 1101 E. County Road 800 N., Chrisney.• February 2: Huntington University Habecker Dining Commons, 502 Lake St., Huntington.The Purdue succession planning team, composed of Purdue Extension educators and specialists, seeks 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 a grant from North Central Extension Risk Management Education.