When:
Wednesdays
9:30am - 3:30pm
- January 31, 2024
- February 28, 2024
- March 27, 2024
Snowdates TBD
Attendance required all three days
Where:
Berkshire Athenaeum Library
1 Wendell Avenue
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Instructors:
Shemariah Blum-Evitts
Interim Executive Director, Land For Good
Jon Jaffe
Farm Business Consultant, Farm Credit East
Jae Silverman
Massachusetts Field Agent, Land For Good
plus guest attorney
Farm Succession School - Massachusetts
This three-day winter course is an opportunity for senior generation farmers - with or without identified successors - to talk with peers, learn from advisors, and get support on the challenging process of farm succession and transfer planning.
Who should attend? Active, commercial farmers looking to transfer their farm to a related or un-related successor. Farmers do not need to have an identified successor to participate in this course.
Are you unsure who will take over your farm?
Feel like your family needs to start talking, but you don't know where to start?
Have questions about retiring that you don't know how to answer?
Can the farm support two generations?
It can be a challenging process to explore how to transfer the farm business and assets to a future owner. This course will help you:
- Get the conversation started
- Sort through possibilities
- Clarify your goals and next steps
- Connect you with resources and support to keep the process going!
Farmers from across Massachusetts, of all farm sizes and enterprises, are welcome. Partners are encouraged to attend together!
"I got so much from the program, both in information and connections,” shared one participant. “The format was a well-balanced mix of instruction, homework and participation. I hope to translate at least part of what I learned into the reality of our farm’s future.”
The fee, subsidized by MDAR, is $100 per farm and includes all materials and support between classes. It is important to us that course fees do not create a barrier to participation. If any of the course fees would prevent you from participating, please contact the course coordinators listed above and we can discuss waiving the fee.
Farmers are required to attend all three days. There will be homework between sessions. Individualized support will be offered between sessions and after the course is concluded.
Register by January 17th or until course is filled.
If you have any questions, please email jae@landforgood.org.
