By Blake Jackson
Farm families and agricultural business owners can prepare for the future through Cultivating Your Farm’s Future, an interactive virtual program offered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.
The program is designed to help farm families begin meaningful conversations and develop a practical approach to succession planning.
Joy Kirkpatrick, Distinguished Farm Succession Outreach Specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, says succession planning involves much more than completing legal or financial paperwork.
It requires families to consider how the farm will continue operating when the current owner retires and what responsibilities the next generation will have in the business.
The workshop follows a three-step framework that helps participants understand their current situation, establish their desired future, and determine the steps needed to reach those goals.
“Multiple farm and family members are encouraged to attend together,” said Joy Kirkpatrick, Farm Succession Outreach Specialist. “Whether you are the owner generation looking to develop a fair inheritance plan, or the next generation questioning how to make your goals financially realistic, this program is for you.”
Sessions will be held live through Zoom, allowing participants to join remotely. Each series is limited to 15 farms to encourage meaningful participation and discussion.
Registered participants will receive workbooks and course materials by mail before the program begins. Homework, including short videos and worksheets, will also help families prepare for important conversations.
Key topics include communication and managing family tensions, inheritance decisions and whether equal treatment is fair, financial and estate planning, business entities, wills and trusts, and SWOT analysis to identify farm strengths and potential threats.
The program can help families organize their priorities before consulting accountants, attorneys, and other professional advisers, potentially making those meetings more productive.
The Fall 2026 series begins November 12, 2026, and runs through December 10, 2026, with Thanksgiving skipped and optional sessions in January 2027.
Registration closes October 23, 2026. The Winter 2027 series runs February 4-25, with optional March sessions. Registration costs $200 per farm.
For registration, visit https://uwmadison.eventsair.com/2627cultivatingfarms/reg/Site/Register.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-shotbydave
Categories: Wisconsin, Education