Project Overview
UVM Extension Agricultural Business developed a hybrid educational model enabling farm business owners to assess their readiness for business succession and to implement a targeted step(s) to advance the process. This project developed online assessments and a learning platform that to match specific educational resources to participants needs and offered targeted, consultation to identify and execute key implementation steps. Existing farm and maple business owners in Vermont were the primary audience of this program, inquiries from the rest of New England and New York were handled as well. This model served an audience of farm owners that prefer to self-navigate steps in transfer planning or need to self-pace their progress in often complex realm of succession planning. Participants were able to utilize the online learning platform independently or engage with Extension educators trained for in person, online meeting, or phone support.
Two articles (2,500 readers) and three clinics (30) provided education and promotion that directed participants to the learning environment. A peer validated library was organized for customized resource referrals to 147 participants that increased their learning. Forty-one farm owners competed an assessment to identify their next succession action step and 32 owners committed to that action. Twenty-one implemented changes, agreements or planning outputs. 11 Vermont farms and 2 Maine farms are now enrolled in long-term, professionally-supported succession planning programs designed to pass ownership to a new generation of farmers.
Number of Participants: 147
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
There are no promotional materials available for this project.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
There are no educational materials available for this project.
REPORTS & EVALUATIONS
There are no reports or evaluations available for this project.