AMES — Practical Farmers of Iowa is holding a series of free farm transfer workshops across Iowa in November and December to help farm families understand the farm ownership landscape in Iowa and possible strategies to start the farm transition process.
Each workshop runs from 5-8 p.m. and will be hosted by a local farmer or landowner. Bios of each host are available on Practical Farmers' website.
Mike Downey, of Next Gen Ag Advocates and Farm Financial Strategies, Inc., will lead the events and discuss the why and how of farmland transition, including farm leasing trends, how to communicate with family about your farmland transition and next steps to be thinking of in the farm transfer process.
The workshops are free and will include a meal and networking time, and will conclude with discussion of some possible strategies and next steps for farm transfer. RSVPs are appreciated to help with meal planning. To sign up, visit practicalfarmers.org/farm-transfer-workshops or contact Debra Boekholder at debra@practicalfarmers.org or (515) 232-5661.
Planned workshops include:
• Tuesday, Nov. 19 – Red Oak – 5-8 p.m. – Firehouse Restaurant, 310 E. Washington Ave. – Hosted by Maggie McQuown
• Tuesday, Dec. 3 – Decorah – 5-8 p.m. – Shirley Baker Commons, Luther College, just east of College Road, north of Ridge Road and Anderson Prairie – Hosted by Dale Nimrod
• Tuesday, Dec. 10 – Cherokee – 5-8 p.m. – Cherokee Community Center Yacht Club, 606 Spring Lake Drive – Hosted by Dan Wilson, of Seven W Farm
• Tuesday, Dec. 17 – Oxford – 5-8 p.m. – Johnson County Conservation Education Center, Kent Park: 2048 U.S. 6 N
In Iowa alone, 60% of farmland is owned by people 65 years or older, and a record 35% of land is owned by people 75 years or older, according to the most recent Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure Survey released last summer by Iowa State University.
The goal of the workshops is to help participants better understand the importance of farm transfer planning for themselves and the broader Iowa landscape, as well as how to communicate about farm transfer and get started or move forward in the process.
For questions about the workshops or farm transfer, contact Jorgen Rose at (515) 232-5661 or jorgen@practicalfarmers.org.