Succession Planning for Family Owned Farms

Succession planning is not thought of as fun, simple, or quick. That’s true. A recent article from Ag Web puts it clearly: “Succession Planning Takes Leadership.” It also takes time, knowledge and the guidance from smart professionals, including estate planning attorneys, financial advisors and accountants. Let’s look at these four important elements.

Clarity. Transitioning leaders need to answer a few questions. What do they want for themselves, for their operation and what do stakeholders want? Developing a successful plan by guessing what other family members want, rather than asking them directly can undo good planning. Having private conversations with individual members of the family will lead to more honest answers.

Certainty. Many times, families are not in perfect harmony about what succession looks like, which can lead to some uncertainty. Family leaders must step up and be decisive, and their decisions may not be popular with everyone. However, if a leader lets someone else make decisions, the situation becomes murky and confusing.

Continuity. It can take two or five years to create a succession plan, depending on the complexity of the operation and the number of family members involved. The actual succession itself can take ten years to unwind, depending on the time horizon for the transitioning leadership. A big problem for any process that takes so long, is the loss of focus and momentum. Your team of professionals should be able to help mitigate this challenge.

Communication. A strategy for communication needs to be built into the succession plan, although it is often overlooked. Develop a timeline and establish when you will communicate progress and/or milestones to stakeholders. Your professional team may be needed to help with both the timeline and the communication strategy. Family members need to know what is happening, even when it seems like nothing big is occurring.

With strong leadership in each of these four factors, the succession plan is more likely to succeed. With less stress and an increased level of trust and clear communication, the family will work together to achieve the leader’s goals.

Reference: Ag Web (December 5, 2019) “Succession Planning Takes Leadership”