Farm Succession and State Laws: Ensuring Continuity in Agriculture (Webinar)

Over the next 10 years, 371 million acres of U.S. farmland, 41 percent of the total, are projected to change hands, according to the American Farmland Trust. Are state laws equipped to handle the surge in farmland transfers? What state policies can strengthen farm succession planning, ensuring generational continuity while creating opportunities for new famers to enter the field? This Dec. 17 webinar will explore these questions and more.

Presented by The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, the webinar will cover

• the fundamentals of estate planning for farms,
• what state lawmakers and policy leaders need to know about farm succession plans, 
• the impact of varying state laws on farm transitions, and 
• state-level initiatives that support transition planning for farmers. 

This webinar is designed for state legislators, legislative staff, and other leaders in agriculture and tax policy — but open to all. It will be moderated by officers of the MLC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and feature two expert presenters:  Robert Moore, attorney and research specialist at The Ohio State University Agriculture and Resource Law Program; and Jim Molenaar, farmland access and succession coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.