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 10 Indiana locations. The nearest location is the Purdue Extension Bartholomew County office at 783 S. Marr Road, Columbus.

Each workshop session will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning Jan. 12 and running through Feb. 2.

“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 at cvent.me/y80Vgo.

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.