Farm Succession Planning Virtual Help – NY

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Cornell Cooperative Extension Offers Virtual Farm Succession Planning Help for Farmers Throughout New York

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program (SWNYDLFC) is working with educators across the state to bring a virtual learning opportunity to farms in the Southwest New York Region who are looking to being their succession planning journey. This series will be $60 per farm family and includes a comprehensive workbook, an online learning classroom, and four interactive video sessions held via Zoom. The program will run on Thursday evenings in October. For more information, contact Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Specialist, at 716-640-0522 or kaw249@cornell.edu.

How will your family farm operate in the future when the owner retires or is gone? Are you currently working with another generation who may be questioning their role in the future of the farm or are you yourself questioning your current role?

More than 80 percent of farm families hope to pass the family farm on to the next generation, but research shows only 30 percent of family farms survive to the second generation, and only 12 percent survive to the third generation. A successful transition to the next generation takes careful planning.

To help NYS farm families start their farm succession planning process, Cornell Cooperative Extension educators will be utilizing a new interactive program designed by North Dakota State University Extension, Design Your Succession Plan. This program will provide tools and resources for producers who want to begin the succession planning process.

Participants will have an opportunity to open the lines of communication with family to create a shared vision for the family business. They will also learn to choose and work with professionals such as attorneys, accountants, lenders, insurance agents and tax experts to construct a plan and documents that put the family’s vision into action.

“The program will prepare you to envision, communicate, plan, write and shape the legacy of your family farm or ranch business, as well as save hundreds of dollars by completing these crucial planning steps before visiting with professionals,” said Bonnie Collins, Farm Business Management Educator, CCE Oneida County.

This program is being offered via Zoom. The cost is $60 per farm family and includes a workbook valued at $20. Contact your local CCE educator using the information below, or visit http://cceoneida.com/events/2020/10/08/-design-your-succession-plan-online-zoom-series for more information. The registration deadline is September 30th to ensure on-time delivery of the workbook. You can register here: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/dsp_230

In NYS the program will be offered as a 4-evening remote farm succession planning course via Zoom in conjunction with an online learning platform to be used between meetings. The program will run from 6:30-8 p.m. October 8th, 15th 22nd and 29th. Please contact your closest Extension office for more information using the contact information below:

Bonnie Collins (bsc33@cornell.edu)
Dayton Maxwell, Jr (dtm4@cornell.edu)
Laura Biasillo (lw257@cornell.edu)
Mary Kate Wheeler (mkw87@cornell.edu)
Liz Higgins (emh56@cornell.edu)
Ariel Kirk (adk39@cornell.edu)
Katelyn Walley-Stoll (kaw249@cornell.edu)
Nicole Tommell (nt375@cornell.edu)
David Cox (dgc23@cornell.edu)
Janice Degni (jgd3@cornell.edu)

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program specialists are here to help provide research-based resources and support during this challenging time. Their team of four specialists includes Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management (716-640-0522 or kaw249@cornell.edu); Joshua Putman, Field Crops (716-490-5572 or jap472@cornell.edu); Alycia Drwencke, Dairy Management (517-416-0386 or amd453@cornell.edu); and Amy Barkley, Livestock Management (716-640-0844 or amb544@cornell.edu). While specialists are working remotely at this time, they are still offering consultations via phone, text, email, videoconferencing, and mail. They are also providing weekly updates with timely resources and connections via email and hardcopy and virtual programming. For more information, or to be added to their notification list, contact Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Team Leader, at 716-640-0522, kaw249@cornell.edu or visit their website swnydlfc.cornell.edu.

The Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program is the newest Cornell Cooperative Extension regional program and covers Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Steuben Counties. The Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops regional specialists work with Cornell faculty and Extension educators to address the issues that influence the agricultural industry in New York by offering educational programming and research based information to agricultural producers, growers, and agribusinesses in the Southwestern New York Region. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call Katelyn Walley-Stoll at 716-640-0522 or email kaw249@cornell.edu. For more information about Cornell Cooperative Extension, contact your county’s Association Executive Director. Allegany County – Laura Hunsberger, lkh47@cornell.edu or 585-268-7644. Cattaraugus County – Dick Rivers, rer263@cornell.edu or 716-699-2377. Chautauqua County – Emily Reynolds, eck47@cornell.edu or 716-664-9502. Erie County – Diane Held, dbh24@cornell.edu or 716-652-5400. Steuben County – Tess McKinley, tsm223@cornell.edu, or 607-664-2301.