Farm families in the US, as well as agribusiness owners, need to know that the future of their farms depends on their preparation. Keeping the farm and the family together is something that farmers need to discuss, learn more about, and ensure. Today, over 75% of farm owners do not have a plan of succession in place that is sufficient and up-to-date.
Many farmers have sons and assume that one or all of their sons will, someday, take over where they leave off, but that is not always assured. In fact, many farmers have daughters only or as well. Have they set aside the time to communicate with their daughters about the future of their homes, land, equipment, and profits?
The truth is that many women inherit farmland from their families, and many are very skilled at making a living from their land. Gender is not the factor that determines whether a person is a successful business owner, even down on the farm. This list contains some of the characteristics that make a man or a woman good at farming:
- patience and the temperament for waiting on success
- respect for senior generation’s advice
- a collaborative temperament
- the ability to suggest
- the capacity to work with family members
According to CivilEats.com, women make up 30% of US farm operators as of 2016. This is triple the number 30 years ago. The article added that women are:
- growing diverse crops
- supporting sustainability
- growing more food than commodity crops
- farming smaller sections of land
Perhaps the time has come for families to get the daughters involved in the future of their farm? Give us a call and let us share with you the ways you can ensure the future of your farmland is safe.
