Do you own a farm business and are looking toward the future, perhaps retiring, scaling back from farming or transitioning from a farm business to take on another adventure?

If so you will want to mark your calendar to attend the “Farm Succession and Transition” workshop on March 31 at the Farm Service Agency Butler Office.

The workshop is sponsored by PA Farm Link, a nonprofit dedicated to “linking farmers to the future,” and will provide information on various aspects of creating a farm business succession/transition plan. Last year, 250 people attended similar workshops held throughout Pennsylvania.

American Farmland Trust estimates that at least 230 million acres of farmland will change hands in the next 20 years, or a quarter of all farmland.

Many people think about the “next step” but taking it is often a bigger task than they first thought. Determining a plan to transition the farm business from the current owners to a next generation, be that family or nonfamily, can be intimidating but there are organizations and professionals available to provide guidance and options.

Farm owners and families who would like more information on forming a farm succession/transition plan to continue their farm business into the future, are encouraged to attend this workshop.

Topics covered will include:

• Succession/transition from a legal perspective

• Estate planning and necessary documents

• Farm family communication dynamics and challenges

• Family meeting guidelines

• Generational challenge strategies.

Breakout sessions will be held for both landowners and next generation to discuss their challenges, with a time of brainstorming solutions and strategies to address the issues.

Experts will be available to assist families in planning the next steps. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions.

This PA Farm Link Farm Succession Workshop is supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2012-49200-20031.

Registration, due March 13, is $20 per person or $15 per person for two or more people from the same farm business attending. The registration fee includes lunch and each participant will be provided a copy of: “Planning the Future of Your Farm” Pennsylvania edition (normally sold for $10.60 per copy).

The workshop will begin with registration at 9:15 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Reservations can be made online at www.pafarmlink.org or by calling 717-705-2121.

Darlene Livingston is executive director of PA Farm Link.