Completed Project Report


Passing it On: A Farm Succession Education and Resource Collaborative for California

  • Award Amount: $50,000
  • Regional Center: Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2020 Education Projects

Extension RME Regional Centers
Extension Risk Management Education Region Map

Project Overview

This project  expanded upon FarmLink’s farm succession work across California with its previous “Organic Elders and the Next Generation” initiative. It  focused on aspects of financial, legal and human risk education in order to maintain a stable and growing family agricultural system among aging and new entry farm entrepreneurs. According to research compiled by the “FarmLASTS Project,” roughly 70% of the nation’s private farmland will change hands over the next 20 years, and over 90% of retiring farmers report having no exit strategy, nor the knowledge to enact one. This project will addressed educational offerings on topics including farm transition and estate planning; interpersonal, family and business relationships; and business and strategic planning. FarmLink created and implemented a new, multi-part,12-month succession planning “cohort” and peer-to-peer training series with accompanying individual technical assistance for farm families. It was implemented between November 2021-October 2022, and served 17 farmers and next generation successors across Northern California. Participants learned to  understand and analyze farm succession strategies, asset transfer and management, family communication and goal setting. Participating farm families took steps to implement transfer strategies as a result of this project.

Number of Participants: 17

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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INDIVIDUAL STORIES / EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS / QUOTES