Helping Women Address
Farm Transfer
National Women in Agriculture
Educators Conference
Oklahoma City
April 1-2, 2008
Kathryn Ruhf
Land For Good, Inc.
www.landforgood.org
413-323-9878
Land For Good's mission is to keep New England's productive land
cared for and in active use for the benefit of the owners, the land and
the community.
We help families and organizations plan for, manage and pass on working
lands, and we foster professional and community networks, public
awareness and policies to keep New England's working lands working.
Project Partners
• Cooperative Development Institute
• Land For Good
• Community Involved in Sustaining
Agriculture
• Women’s Agricultural Networks ME & MA
• First Pioneer Farm Credit
Background…
• 400 million acres of agricultural land will
change hands in the next 20 years.
• Women could inherit 75% of that land.
• Over 50% of farm operators are over 55 years
old.
• Fewer than 2% have succession plans in place.
• Only ~13% of farms transfer to a family
member.
Role of Women on Farms
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Traditional gender roles (“farmer’s wife”)
Farm operator (27% are women)
Co-operator; farm partner
Household income earner from off-farm job(s)
Farm bookkeeper
Non-farming landlord (widow, daughter)
Entering farmer
Project Purpose & Audience
• Purpose: To build the capacity of farm
women to make informed and effective
decisions regarding farm succession,
transfer and tenure
• Audience:
– Women in exiting farm families
– Women inheritors
Why Women?
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Key decision-makers
Family influencers
Inadequate access to resources/discrimination
Unique values and strengths
Focus on process and relationships
Traditional roles hamper participation
Different learning styles and preferences
What is Farm Transfer?
• Farm transfer is the process of passing
a farm from one generation or owner to
another.
• A farm transfer plan is the roadmap of
decisions and actions to accomplish
transfer goals.
Elements of a Transfer Plan
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Goal setting and communications
Retirement
Estate
Asset transfer
Land use
Management transfer
Farm business
Farm Transfer Challenges
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Reluctance to address the issues
Finding advisors
Time and money (perceived)
Sustaining the planning effort
“The hard issues are the soft issues”
Women live longer…
Women’s Learning Preferences
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Interactive
Safe setting
Small group
Hands-on, concrete information
Opportunity to share and practice
Not passive, lecture style
Project Objectives
• Build greater understanding of the issues
• Build target audience’s awareness
• Empower participants with information,
resources and assistance
• Develop participants’ decision-making and
negotiation skills
• Create and disseminate models
Educational Materials
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Research and review materials
Screen for gender bias
Copyright permission
Tabbed manual
Worksheets
Not meant to be read cover to cover
Train-the-trainer
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Women leaders from four states
Model participatory processes
Basic farm transfer information
Gender-specific issues
Gender-based learning styles & preferences
Geographic & demographic differences
Outreach to Recruit Participants
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Direct mail
Farm organization newsletters
Articles in newspapers
E-mail lists
Agency and Extension outreach
Conferences and other events
Seminars
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Day-long workshops in four states
Environment and set-up are important
Local trainers and Project leaders
Participants included multi-generation and a
few men!
• Combine information and exercises
Seminars
• Personal stories
• Individual assessment
– Goals and values worksheet
– Stakeholder and support network mapping
• Small group discussion
• Role play
– Family situation
– Meeting with advisor
Information Outreach
• Short “info bites” for FSA newsletters
• Longer articles for agency & farm
publications
• Manual sent to each FSA office
Study Circles
• Follow-up to seminars
• Optional addition for seminar participants
• Small, topic- or process-focused
– Intended focus: support
– Preferred focus: information
Informational Brochure
• “What Happens to the Farm When…
Helping Farm Women Address Farm Transfer
Issues”
• For use by Farm Service Agency and other
USDA offices
• Lists contacts and resources
Outcomes
• ~3,000 New England women received
information
• 170 women more able to participate in farm
transfer planning
– 98% said they would use the information
– 78% said they would initiate a conversation
• Women leaders in each state able to provide
support and referral
Learnings
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Need information from trusted sources
Stories most effective
Repetition necessary
Long process…
Easy to feel overwhelmed