Farm transition planning focus of upcoming conference
“The Cultivating Connections Conference targets the professionals who enable a critical issue today: the successful transfer of agricultural operations from one generation to the next.” — Peggy Hall
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
July 23, 2024
Fast facts:
- Cultivating Connections Conference for farm transition planners is Aug. 5-6
- National Ag Law Center is a conference sponsor
- Registration is online
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The transition of farms from one generation to the next is vital
to the success of U.S. agriculture, and an upcoming conference is designed for professionals
invested in farm transition planning.
![Photo of a rice field in Lonoke County, Arkansas.](https://live.staticflickr.com/6153/6183332167_94e3f0ecdb_o.jpg)
The average age of U.S. farmers continues to increase. According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, the average producer is 58.1 years old, 0.6 years older than in the 2017 Census
and 9.4 years older than the 1945 Census, the first to report an average age. Further,
data from the 2022 Census also shows that over 60 percent of all producers are 55
years of age or older.
While creating a farm transition plan is an important aspect of ensuring a farm continues
to the next generation, it can also be overlooked. The Cultivating Connections Conference
provides a learning and discussion forum on farm transition plans.
The conference, which will be held Aug. 5-6 at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, brings together attorneys, accountants, appraisers, educators and other farm transition
planners to connect and learn about strategies for successful transition plans.
“The Cultivating Connections Conference targets the professionals who enable a critical
issue today: the successful transfer of agricultural operations from one generation
to the next,” Peggy Hall, director of The Ohio State University Agricultural and Resource
Law Program, said.
The conference is a joint effort, hosted by The OSU Agricultural and Resource Law
Program and co-sponsored by the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University (CALT) and the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC). Speakers include attorneys, accountants, academics and appraisers. NALC Senior Staff
Attorney Elizabeth Rumley is speaking at the event during a session on replenishing
rural practice.
Registration for the conference, including in-person and virtual options, is available
online until Aug. 2. Conference organizers have applied for Continuing Legal Education credits
for Ohio and Iowa as well as IRS Continuing Education credits.
“One of the NALC’s strongest assets is its partners, and the Cultivating Connections
Conference is a great development out of that partnership,” NALC Director Harrison
Pittman said. “It brings together a talented network of skilled professionals focused
on a very important topic — helping families preserve their farms as well as the communities
and industries that depend upon families’ success.”
Hall said the conference, which is in its second year, is an opportunity for farm
transition planners to learn effective strategies for planning and network with other
professionals who share the same goals. Following the inaugural conference in 2023,
The OSU Agricultural and Resource Law Program, CALT and the NALC partnered to create
the Association of Farm Transition Planners, a network whose mission is increasing the number of skilled professionals assisting
farmers with succession and transition planning. The association connects conference
participants to helpful resources throughout the year.
“This event aims to build strong relationships and foster a supportive community dedicated
to preserving the legacy and sustainability of family farms for future generations,”
Hall said.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural
and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal
policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many
others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information
to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and
works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural
Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal
access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to
participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as
soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu