The Farm Transfer Network of New England

FARM TRANSFER PLANNING

Farm transfer planning is a process to determine how a farm will pass on to another farmer. The transfer plan addresses all pieces of the transfer puzzle—interpersonal, financial, and legal. It lays out a path for the transfer of farm management, income, and assets. A farm transfer plan typically addresses retirement needs, estate planning, changes in business structure, and conservation goals. For more about these issues, see our Comprehensive Guides section.

9 Business Succession-Planning Mistakes to Avoid

A list of transfer mistakes that small business owners commonly make

Judy M. Sescil
Farm Credit Services Southwest, ACA
2003, 2 pages

Available online
http://www.fcssw.com/notebook/L3/9_business.htm

Between Generations

A resource kit for planning farm family transfers; includes video

Peter Coughler
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAF)
2 books with video tape
1999, 98 pages

Order by calling OMAF at (519) 826-3700
$30 plus s/h

Business Transfer Guide for the Junior Generation

A workbook for transferees in a family transfer; useful for non-family transferees too

Steve Richards
NY Farm Link
2004, 34 pages

Order online
$12 includes s/h

website being updated. Check
http://www.newyorkfarmlink.org

Business Transfer Guide for the Senior Generation

A workbook for the exiting farm operator

Steve Richards
NY Farm Link
2004, 56 pages

Order online
$12 includes s/h
http://www.newyorkfarmlink.org website being updated

The Challenge of Family Business Transition

The challenges of passing on the family legacy; a sequence of planning steps; and implications for agriculture

Dr. David Kohl and Dr. Alex White
Farm Credit of the Virginias
2001, 4 pages

Available online
http://www.reap.vt.edu/publications/horizons/hor13-5.pdf

Components of a Farm Succession Plan

A clear discussion of transfer of labor, management, and ownership

Peter Coughler
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAF)
1999, 4 pages

Available online
http://www.farmcentre.com/Resources/Default.aspx?section=08c0ce55-46cc-4037-800f-60c8dab0b655&province=0&type=0&keywords=&product=-1&resource=

The Facilitator's Guide

A guide to facilitating the transfer process

Steve Richards
NY Farm Link
2004, 100 pages

Order by calling NY Farm Link at (800) 547-3276
$50 includes s/h

Farm Savvy

A manual outlining a process for the transition of a farm business to the succeeding generation; intended for vocational agriculture teachers, community college instructors, extension staff who work with new farmers, and people who wish to transfer a farming operation to another person

John R. Baker
Beginning Farmer Center
Iowa State University
1996, 200 pages

Order online
$50 plus $11.52 s/h
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=1306&SeriesCode=&CategoryID=37&Keyword=

Farm Succession Do's and Don'ts

A list of considerations for thinking about the transfer process

Peter Coughler
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAF)
2003, 2 pages

http://www.agrinewsinteractive.com/archives/article-6217.htm

Farm Transfer and Estate Planning Fact Sheet

A discussion of stewardship issues in estate planning

American Farmland Trust
Farmland Information Center
2004, 1 page

http://www.farmlandinfo.org/documents/27981/Estate_Planning_1-04.pdf

Farm Transfer Guide

Fact sheets, checklists, and worksheets covering transfer planning, business planning, and finance; not limited to Pennsylvania farm families

Marion L. Bowlan, ed.
Pennsylvania Farm Link
43 pages

http://www.pafarmlink.org/resources.html

Farm Transfers in Wisconsin: A Guide for Farmers

A comprehensive, friendly guide for farmers everywhere; includes farm business arrangements as well as family, financial, and legal considerations

Jeanne M. Meier and Gwen Garvey
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
2003, 90 pages

http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/agriculture/farm-center/transfers/pdf/transfer_guide.pdf

Farmland Transfer & Protection in New England

A guide for entering and exiting farmers; includes worksheets; not limited to New England farm operators

Kathryn Z. Ruhf
The New England Small Farm Institute
1999, 124 pages

Order online
$12 includes s/h
http://www.farmlandinfo.org/farmland_preservation_literature/index.cfm?function=article_view&articleID=29905

Holding Ground: A Guide to Northeast Farmland Tenure and Stewardship

A comprehensive guide that includes an examination of "non-ownership" tenure such as rental agreements, long-term leasing, and other arrangements; includes sample agreements, worksheets, and other resources

Annette Higby, Kathryn Z. Ruhf, and Andrea Woloschuk
The New England Small Farm Institute (NESFI)
2004, 162 pages

Order online
$22 includes s/h
http://growingnewfarmers.org/main/bookstore/publications/

Steps in Developing a Farm Succession Plan

A clear, concise set of succession-planning steps; useful for all farm families

Peter Coughler
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAF)
1999, 4 pages

Steps in Developing a Farm Succession Plan (PDF 188 KB)

Transferring Ownership and/or Retiring from Farming

Three ways that farmers can transfer their assets

Dennis Kauppila
University of Vermont Extension Service
2003, 9 pages

http://www.uvm.edu/~susagctr/Documents/transferring_ownership.pdf

Transferring the Family Farm

Legal entities and tax considerations

Atty. William J. Dakin, CPA.
Highland Communities Initiative
2004, 33 pages

Transferring the Family Farm - (Coming Soon)

Transferring the Family Farm: What Worked, What Didn't, for 10 New Jersey Families

Ten real-life case studies

New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee
Farm Link Program
2003, 38 pages

http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/farmlink/resources/farmtransition.html

Your Land Is Your Legacy: A Guide to Planning for the Future of Your Farm

A comprehensive guide to conservation options and farm transfer

Jeremiah P. Cosgrove and Julia Freedgood
American Farmland Trust (AFT)
2002, 58 pages

Abstract available online
http://www.farmlandinfo.org/farmland_search/index.cfm?function=article_view&articleID=28416

Order by calling AFT at (413) 586-4593, ext. 17
$13.95 plus s/h