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Farm Succession Coordinator´s Certification Program

Willie Huot

Summary

In ND, an estimated 50% of agland is now operated under some type of lease agreement between an owner and operator. Simultaneously, less than 50% of ND farmers and ranchers have a current succession plan developed for their business. NDSU Extension, along with private partnerships have been conducting educational programs that are positively impacting the number of farm/ranch families working on successfully developing a current succession plan.

However, one of the most frequently asked questions by participants at the conclusion of these educational events is “now who can we get to work with us through this process?” To help address this need, NDSU extension worked with the International Farm Transition Network (IFTN) to conduct a Farm Succession Coordinator’s Conference in North Dakota in 2015. The course met the continuing education requirements of the ND Bar Association which encouraged several attorneys that do succession planning in their practice to attend. The course had a maximum enrollment of 30 participants. After the course was filled, several professionals were put on a waiting list for a following course if it was offered.

The three day course, taught primarily by IFTN staff members, focused on improving the participants understanding of dynamics that occur within the members involved in any succession plan development. The vast experience of both the presenters and many of the participants aided in making this a very informative, and successful educational experience which was reflected in the evaluation results. All participants successfully completed all requirements to become certified by the IFTN.

Details

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