By Willie Huot,
NDSU Extension Agent
Farm Business Mgt. & Economics
Situation
 State Population
 642,000
 Majority of people live in 10 population centers
 Large part of population live in near Eastern
 NDSU located on Eastern border
 33 of 53 counties less than 6000 population
 40 of 53 counties less than 10,000 population
Distance Education Technology
 Started in 1991
 Universities & larger counties
 Has continued to grow in locations & Usage
 Majority of population is familiar with technology
 University usage has continued to expand
Interactive Video Network
Technology
 Now Available in nearly every county
 Universities/colleges
 Experiment stations
 Extension Offices
 Public schools
 Hospitals
 Law enforcement centers
 Others
Uses of ND Interactive Video
Network (IVN)
 Annual tax management seminars since 1990
 Marketing outlook sessions
 Market club education opportunities
 In-service training sessions
 Annie’s Project in 2006
 Launched Farm/Ranch Transition & Estate Planning
in 2010
Annie’s Project in Brief
 Begin in 2006
 To date over 1000 participants
 Delivered via Interactive Television & local presenters
 Conducted from mid January – late February
 30 sites since 2006
 Over 45 Extension field staff and 7 specialists involved
 All staff members involved work together in planning
& implementing
Annie’s Participants requested
more information on:
 Crop and Livestock Marketing
 Record Keeping Systems
 Farm/Ranch Transition Planning
 Retirement Planning
We Learned That
Interactive Video Can be used as an effective delivery tool
 Greatly reduces costs
 Can be challenging if used exclusively for the delivery
method
 Requires scheduling many months in advance
 Requires special skills for
presenters
Farm/Ranch Transition
& Estate Planning
 Patterned somewhat after Missouri model
 Pilot project in 2010
 Six sites
 Delivery & resources




IVN
Local experts
Note book of resource materials
Web sites
Progress to date
 Offered three times since it was launched
 March 2010
 Dec 2010
 March 2011
 Offered in 26 location throughout the state
 450 participants have participated
Planning Process
 Steering committee
 Frequent conference calls
 In-service training sessions
 Spring (daylong)

Evaluation & next year’s initial site selection
 Fall ( over two days)

Details for upcoming sessions
March 2010
December 2010 Sites
Use of Web Site
www.ag.ndsu.edu/anniesproject
 Annie’s Project
 Women In Ag Conferences
 Estate Planning Courses
Purpose
 Provide information on
 Importance of estate planning
 Effective communication techniques
 Logical steps to consider/follow in the process
 Farm/ranch business arrangements
 Asset transfer strategies
 Estate taxes
 Other (varies by site)
Methods
 Interactive Video Network presentations
 Local presenters
 Resources
 Handout materials
 Online resources
 Group discussions
Marketing & Promotion
 Brochure
 Website
 Radio
 Television
 Referrals
 Local Agents
Some Guidelines
 Will
 Provide credible, reliable information
 Provide safe environment for learning
 Expect all participant to respect others opinions
 Consider every question very important & valid
 Expect that all that is “discussed here stays here”
Guidelines (Continued)
 Will not
 Provide any specific legal advice.
 Advocate any specific plan/strategy for anyone.
 Make recommendations on the purchase/selections of
any specific financial instrument.
IVN Presentations
 Getting Started; Importance of Communication
 Farm Business Arrangements; Pros & Cons of different
business structures
 Farm Estate & Succession Planning
IVN Presenters, March 2011
 March 8
 – John Baker, JD Beginning Farmer Center, Iowa State
University,
 March 8
 Jim Kastanek, Total Agri-Business, Services, Albany, MN
 Andy Zenk
 Agribusiness Consultant, AgCountry/Farm Credit
Services, Grand Forks, ND
Format
 Thee sessions each 3 hours long
 Half of content delivered via IVN
 Half of content delivered via local experts
 Registration fee $55 - $75
 Major topics
 Communication
 Farm & Ranch Business Arrangements
 Succession Planning &Asset Transfer Strategies
Local Presenters
 Attorneys
 CPA’s
 Judges
 Certified Financial Planners
 Others
Online Resources Introduced
 https://www.agtransitions.umn.edu/
 http://rightrisk.org/
 http://www.ces.purdue.edu/farmtransfer/
 http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/Library/Topics.aspx?LIB=AR
 http://www.montana.edu/estateplanning/
Financial Overview
 No Extension staff receive additional $$ for being





involved in the project
Non Extension presenters receive honorariums
No major sponsors
Registration fees - $55 for individual;
($10 EACH for spouses /others up to 2 additional)
Additional $20.00 for late registrations
Financial Overview (Continued)
 All revenues from registrations sent to central
location.
 Counties receive reimbursement for:



Local speaker honorariums
Refreshments
Room rent
Estate Planning Sessions Impact
 450 participants
 95% Indicated major gain in knowledge
 94% Intend to initiate/advance their asset transfer
plans
 92% Increased their comfort level in communicating
with their family member re: estate planning topics
 95% rated the overall course as an “excellent
educational program”
What participants have said
 “Overall, very educational, thanks”
 “Not one presenter was trying to sell us anything. We
got factual information from reputable sources”
 “It is a topic that is difficult to know where to begin &
this gave lots of information about it and insight into
what needs to be done”
Distance Learning-Keys to
Success
 Committed staff of team players
 Electronic delivery system
 Combination IVN presenters & local experts
 In-service training for facilitators
 Advanced planning
 Web site usage
 Modified teaching techniques
 Technical support
Electronic Delivery Advantages
 Gets all facilitators “on the same page”
 Unifies the program state wide
 Reach multiple sites simultaneously
 Increases program visibility
 Efficient use of resources
 Greatly reduces program costs
 Can utilize expertise from throughout the US
Electronic Delivery Challenges
 Restricts where project can be offered
 Technical problem possibilities
 Reduces “face-to-face” delivery
 Requires precise timing at all sites
 Technology acceptance not universal
Questions or Comments??
Contact Information:
Willie Huot
NDSU Extension Agent/Grand Forks County
Farm Business Management & Economics
Willie.huot@ndsu.edu
(701) 780-8229