Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) and Conserve Utah Valley will cosponsor an Easements and Succession Planning Workshop in the Ponderosa Building at the Spanish Fork Fairground (475 South Main St. Spanish Fork) on October 29 and 30 in two evening sessions of about 3.5 hours each. Jeremy Christensen, UDAF Land Conservation Program Manager, and experts from Utah State Extension will lead the workshop, which will cover conservation easements as well as the succession planning process, helping to ensure that the retiring generation of farmers and ranchers can retire gracefully, allowing the next generation to gain access to land to farm.

From the Legacy Project: “The most important part of a succession plan is having one, the most important step is getting started.” Jeremy received a grant from the American Farmland Trust to develop a curriculum and fund workshops across the state. He worked with Utah State Extension to organize the first one, which was successfully held in last year Bear River City.

Participants will consist of 10 families with 2-3 people from each family able to attend. After a catered dinner, Jeremy will discuss such specifics as

• retirement goals,
• evaluation of current condition of the farm including a financial picture,
• passing on the farm or ranch in a manner that fulfill the wishes of the current owners,
• fair vs equal inheritance,
• developing a shared vision with successors through family conversations and meetings,
• setting up practical objectives and timelines for the succession process,
• succession tools such as deed restrictions and conservation easements.

This will be not a lecture but a workshop, so you will be creating materials for your use based on your own situation.

Farmers or ranchers in Utah Valley who are interested in joining the workshop should contact John Bennion, CUV:801-318-9521, [email protected].