Conferences
Two-year Family Forest Succession Planning Education Campaign Achieves Surprising Impacts in Washington State
Andy Perleberg and Tipton Hudson
Summary
Cooperative extension agents and risk management specialists agree that lack of transition planning has significantly contributed to the loss of family farms. Forest landowner needs assessments identified succession and estate planning as significant obstacles to navigate rationally and harmoniously. To support landowners preparing to retire and to empower new landowners getting started, a 10-workshop campaign was carried out from 2018-2019 that stimulated awareness and execution of succession planning measures by forest and agriculture producers in rural communities across Washington State. Significant progressions occurred between the present and future owners within one-year following the trainings. Communication skills and activities enhanced understanding of financial risk of family living expenses; legal risk related to inheritance laws, and; human risk regarding family health and well-being, family and business relationships, and transition planning. Programs were attended by both forest and agriculture producers, supporting farmland sustainability strategies prioritized in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Details
| Conference | 2020 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference |
| Presentation Type | 30-Minute Concurrent |