Succession Planning Resources
Do you need to start or revisit succession planning?
Download our new Farm and Ranch Transition Packet
-
Idaho Farm and Ranch Succession Planning Course
Are you ready to start the succession planning process? The Idaho Farm and Ranch Succession Planning Course was created to help you start those difficult conversations. Work through the 28-lesson course at your own pace to learn the process of succession planning, identify generational values, start family conversations, and create a transfer management plan.
General Programs
University of Idaho Extension
Extension professional host succession planning workshops, work directly with farmers and ranchers to assist with their succession plans, and offer additional resources as needed. Check out their website, or contact an agent in your community for more information.
Fulcrum Resolution Clinic
Fulcrum Dispute provides farm transition and mediation services to farm families at no cost. Certified farm transition advisors will meet with you and your family to help begin succession planning, and assist as needed for the duration of the process. Visit their website to learn more, or call Fulcrum Dispute at (208) 667-5325.
Farm Answers
The Farm Answers Library features over 5,400 materials including apps, audio, online courses, presentations, written materials, and videos to help answer your farming and ranching questions.
Farm Management Canada
This is a non-profit organization in Canada that develops and distributes leading-edge farm business management information and tools to help facilitate resilience and prosperity. The resources they provide contain a great deal of transition topics.
Annie's Project
Annie's Project offers a variety of extension classes across the country that educate farm women on risk management. The program also hosts a great deal of resources relating to transition and estate planning.
- Browse resources by Annie's Project and sponsors
- Annie's Project workshops are available in Idaho. To learn more contact Kate Painter (kpainter@uidaho.edu) or Colette DePhelps (cdephelps@uidaho.edu).
American Farmland Trust
The program Transitioning Land to a New Generation: Preparing Trainers to Help Facilitate Transfer is hosted by the American Farmland trust to foster positive communication skills between landowners and land seekers and continue building a support network among farm and ranch service providers. Visit the website to learn more.
- List of advisors
- Farmland for the Next Generation: Land Access Training
- Additional transition resources
Land for Good
This organization provides support and guidance to farmers on farm transfer processes. Check out their Toolbox on their website to see some of their resources.
AgTransitions
AgTransitions has easy to use features to help you transition your business to the next generation. Resources such as workbooks and sample transition plans are available to help you get started.
Iowa State University Extension
Visit the information files of ISU's Extension and Outreach website to read over 50 articles that outline successful farm management practices.
Resources
Getting started: Family meetings, starting the conversation etc...
- Wittman Consulting Sample Family Agenda — A complete layout of a first family meeting when discussing succession and estate planning
- Transferring Your Farm or Ranch to the Next Generation - How to combine legal, economic and social decision-making (Montana Extension)
- Your Farmland and the Future: Setting Goals, Taking Action - Teresa Opheim, Director Farm Transfer Program
- Planning the Future of Your Farm: A Workbook Supporting Farm Transfer Decisions (Virginia tech Extension)
- How to Talk About Farm Succession - Farm Bureau Financial Services
- Your Complete Guide to Farm Succession Planning - Farm Bureau Financial Services
- 5 Tips for Succession Planning - Dr. Ron Hanson
- Farm Succession Checklist - Important questions to ask as you start the succession planning process (Pennsylvania Extension)
Incoming Generation
- Owner to Potential Heir Questionnaire — Ask your potential heirs questions in regards to the transition of the farm/ranch (Idaho Extension)
- Potential Heir to Owner Questionnaire — Ask the owner questions in regards to the transition of the farm/ranch (Idaho Extension)
- Farm Succession and Transfer: Strategies for the Junior Generation - Step-by-step guide that outlines transition planning to help younger farmers get started.
- Advice for young producers returning to an operation.
Retiring Generation
- Retirement Calculator — How much money should you be saving or will you need in retirement? (Idaho Extension)
- Social Security Calculator — How much money will you collect in social security? (Idaho Extension)
- Your Land, Your Legacy: Deciding the future of your land to meet the needs of you and your family - Guidebook that outlines the processes of farm transfer (Land For Good)
- Preparing to Transfer the Farm - Overview and important consideration when starting the transfer process (Minnesota Extension)
Succession Planning Card
Farm Transition Card
Education and Training
University of Idaho Extension - Succession Planning Education
Extension professional host succession planning workshops across the state for farmers and ranchers at all stages of the succession planning process. The workshops take place in a 4-part series. Contact an agent in your area to inquire about this workshop.
Ag Legacy Program: WYU Extension
The Ag Legacy program is an effort to assist rural families in creating their own legacy by beginning the thought process and opening the lines of communication for succession planning. It consists of a series of online modules related to communication, transferring management skills, and end of life planning. Visit the website to learn more.
Wittman Consulting
Dick is board chair and former manager of a 20,000-acre dry land crop, range cattle, and timber operation in northern Idaho. Management of the farm has transitioned to a partnership of four other family partners. He, along with his daughter, Cori, provide private consulting to farm, ranch, and agricultural support businesses.
This list includes private sector service providers, is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal, financial, or any other kind of advice on any subject matter. This list may not reflect the most current legal or financial developments, nor may this list reflect the most current licensing status of any of the providers listed. These materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal or financial advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. This list is not intended to guarantee a result or outcome. Your own results or outcomes are beyond ISDA’s control and depend on a variety of circumstances. This list contains links to web-sites operated and maintained by third parties. These links are provided solely as a convenience to you. The presence of such a link does not imply a responsibility for the linked site, or an endorsement or advertisement of the linked site, its operator, or its contents.