Completed Project Report


Farm Business Succession Education for Sustainable New England Vegetable and Fruit Farmers

  • Award Amount: $37,518
  • Regional Center: Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2011 Unrestricted Risk Management Education
  • Project Director: Robert Parsons
  • Email: bob.parsons@uvm.edu
  • Organization: University of Vermont

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Project Overview

The project builds the sustainability of New England vegetable, fruit, and berry operations by concentrating on the horticultural and organic sector, as well as the region´s dairy farms. We developed a “lite” program to present to 2 smaller groups and at 2 producer meetings to attract producers to our day-long workshops (4) held across New England with focus on the full range of succession issues - from communication to developing a succession plan. Farmers attending the workshops developed knowledge on farm transition and transfer that will be put in use in their operations.

We also identified 2 farms currently undergoing a transition/succession process and produced professional videos displaying the farmer’s steps in developing their succession plans. The videos are available with 22 other videos on the UVM Extension Farm Transfer website, and were broadcast on UVM Extension´s TV program "Across the Fence".

Results from a post workshop evaluation indicated that significant knowledge was gained in retirement, estate taxes, farm transition, and health cares issues. Participants planned to make significant efforts to discuss issues with family members, meet with a professional, write or update a will, and develop a business plan.

Number of Participants: 274

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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