Farm Business Succession Planning

Succession planning is the process of creating a planned transition from one generation of farmers to the next. This is an important topic to discuss with all stakeholders of farm businesses as early as possible to ensure smooth farm operations!

Local and regional support is available for farmers working through succession planning. Below are a number of resources that can support you in this process. You can also directly contact our office and we will help direct you towards transition technical assistance providers.

Our CCE Regional Team, the Central New York Livestock, Field Crops, and Dairy Team can help farms begin succession planning. They also hold regular regional workshops and webinars on estate planning, farm transitions, and other aspects of succession.

New York Farm Net has business and family specialists available to support farms and farm families throughout the farm succession process.

New York State Agricultural Mediation Program assists in farm transitions by providing conflict coaching, stakeholder mediation, and family meetings.

The NY Farmland Transition program is a clearinghouse listing service providers available to help support farm succession planning (including attorneys and business consultants).

For those who want to read more about farm succession planning on your own:

• The NYS Agricultural Mediation Program has workbooks and discussion guides, including “Communicating Through Your Farm Transition”
• Land for Good's “Farm Succession Planning” workbook walks you through getting started to think about succession planning
• Farm Commons provides extensive guidance documents addressing legal farm business transition considerations and options. (Contact our office if you want support getting hard or digital copies of their larger resources free through our Ag Business Center.)

Last updated January 5, 2024