According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, the average age of on-farm decision-makers is 59, and 66% of primary farm producers are 65 or older.
“We hope our conference participants will learn some valuable tools to use as they think about their own succession plans,” Neuner said.
This year’s keynote speaker is Rena Striegel, president of Transition Point Business Advisors(opens in new window), which provides farm succession planning services through The DIRTT Project(opens in new window) (Dedicated Internal Resource for Training and Transition). Striegel, who grew up on a dairy and hog farm in What Cheer, Iowa, is a certified business coach and holds an MBA from the University of Iowa. In addition to her hands-on work with business owners, she is a frequent contributor to farming publications such as Top Producer Magazine, Progressive Forage, Farm Journal and Cattle Business Weekly.
Other workshop topics include pasture renovation, which can help remedy issues resulting from drought. Small farm businesses will also benefit from marketing tips, Neuner said. Participants can learn about USDA programs from representatives of several different agencies.
“If you are just beginning or have been farming your entire life, there is something for everyone,” she said.
Source : missouri.edu