Estate and Transition Planning
OSU Extension, in partnership with the Ohio Farm Transition Network (OFTN), recently hosted the International Farm Transition Network’s (IFTN) Certified Farm Succession Coordinator Training on April 20–22 at the Secrest Arboretum Welcome and Education Center on the OSU CFAES Wooster Campus.
The sold-out, three-day training brought together 30 agricultural professionals from across Ohio, including attorneys, accountants, lenders, insurance agents, Extension educators, and other service providers. The training marked an important step forward in strengthening farm transition planning for Ohio’s agricultural industry.
This intensive 20-hour program equipped participants with facilitation tools and proven strategies to help farm families thoughtfully and strategically plan for the transition of farm assets, management, and decision-making to the next generation. Trained farm succession coordinators play a critical role in guiding families through complex conversations by clarifying goals, exploring transition options, and fostering effective family communication.
Instructors for this training included Joy Kirkpatrick, Farm Succession Outreach Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Kiley Fleming, Executive Director of the Iowa Mediation Service, and David Marrison, OSU Extension Field Specialist in Farm Management. Upon completion of the program, the participants are eligible to sit for the certification exam to become a Certified IFTN Farm Succession Coordinator.
Beyond professional development, the training highlighted the growing momentum behind the newly launched Ohio Farm Transition Network. OFTN is a statewide initiative formed through a collaboration of leading agricultural organizations committed to improving the consistency, quality, and accessibility of farm transition planning resources for Ohio farm families.
Founding members of the Ohio Farm Transition Network include AgCredit, Farm Credit Mid-America, Nationwide, Ohio Corn and Wheat, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Soybean Council, Ohio State University Extension, and the USDA Farm Service Agency. For more information about the Ohio Farm Transition Network, upcoming programs, or membership opportunities, visit:
https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-transition/ohio-farm-transition-network
For many farm families, land has been owned for decades, sometimes generations. That long history can create a common problem when it comes time to sell or transfer the property and no one is quite sure what the tax basis is.
Tax basis matters. It is used to calculate taxable gain when real estate is sold. The basic formula is straightforward, as the sale price minus the tax basis equals the gain. Without a reliable basis, it is impossible to estimate tax liability or plan for a sale.
Three situations come up most often. The first is inherited real estate where the date-of-death value was never documented or has been lost. The second is real estate that was purchased many years ago, where the original purchase price and improvements are unclear. The third is real estate that was received as a gift. Each may require a different approach.
Inherited Real Estate: Reconstructing Date-of-Death Value
Inherited property receives a “stepped-up” basis. In most cases, the basis is the fair market value of the property on the date of the prior owner’s death. Ideally, the estate would have obtained an appraisal at the time of death. If so, that appraisal establishes the basis. The first step, then, is to check with the attorney who handled the estate or locate estate records to see if an appraisal exists. Also, any estate tax returns that were filed may include the value of the real estate.
If the estate attorney is not available, probate court records can be checked. If the land was inherited through a will or intestacy (no will), the estate file should include the value of the land. The probate can provide the estate file upon request.
If no appraisal was done and/or the land did not go through probate, the value can still be established. A real estate appraiser can perform a retrospective appraisal, determining what the property was worth as of the date of death, even if that was many years ago. Appraisers rely on comparable sales and market data from that time period to support their conclusions.
This is a common and accepted practice. While it would have been easier to document the value at the time of death, a well-supported retrospective appraisal is generally sufficient for tax purposes.
Purchased Real Estate
For property that was purchased, the starting point for basis is the original purchase price. But for land acquired decades ago, that number is often forgotten or business records have been lost. The first step is to search for any existing documentation. Closing statements, deeds, loan records, or tax documents may provide clues about the purchase price.
If you do not have business records to establish the purchase price, the county auditor can usually help. When real estate is sold, a conveyance fee is paid to the county auditor. (Note: this is specific to Ohio county auditors.) The conveyance fee is the sale price multiplied by the conveyance fee factor, usually 0.2% - 0.4% of the purchase price. The conveyance fee is usually recorded on the face of the deed. So, once the conveyance fee is known, the county auditor can provide the conveyance fee rate at the time of the sale. With the conveyance fee and the rate, the sale price can be calculated.
For example, a farm was sold 30 years ago. The deed recorded at the Recorder’s office shows that the conveyance fee was $500. The county auditor’s records show the conveyance fee at the time was 0.2% of the sale price. With this information, the sale price is established as having been $250,000.
Gifted Real Estate
Real estate received as a gift is treated differently than inherited property. Instead of receiving a stepped-up basis, the recipient generally receives the same basis the donor had in the property.
For example, if a parent purchased farmland for $100,000 and later gifted it to a child when it was worth $500,000, the child’s basis is still $100,000, not $500,000. If the child later sells the property, the gain will be calculated using the parent’s original basis.
The challenge is that the recipient may not know what the donor originally paid for the property. In these situations, the recipient must determine the last time the property was sold or inherited. Once this is established, then the value can be determined using the methods described above.
Documentation Matters
In all three scenarios, documentation is key. The more support you have for the value or cost basis, the stronger your position if the IRS ever questions it. Formal appraisals, written records, and credible supporting data all carry weight.
If documentation is thin, it becomes even more important to be reasonable and consistent in how values are determined. A well-documented estimate is far better than no estimate at all.
Final Thoughts
Uncertainty about tax basis is common with long-held farmland, inherited property, and gifted land, but it can usually be resolved with some effort. Whether through locating old records or obtaining a retrospective appraisal, establishing basis is an important step before selling real estate. Taking the time to determine a defensible tax basis can prevent surprises at tax time and, in many cases, significantly reduce the amount of tax owed.
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Inheriting property is usually viewed as a financial windfall, but not every asset is a benefit. Some inherited assets come with liabilities, management burdens, or tax consequences that outweigh their value. When that happens, the law provides an option to refuse the inheritance through a process known as a disclaimer. However, disclaiming an asset is not as simple as turning it down. If done incorrectly, a disclaimer can trigger unintended tax consequences or fail altogether.
There are two primary reasons someone might choose to disclaim an inheritance. First, the asset may simply be undesirable. For example, a parcel of farmland may have poor productivity, environmental concerns, or potential liability that makes ownership more of a burden than a benefit. Second, disclaimers are often used as an estate planning tool. If a beneficiary already has significant wealth, accepting additional assets may increase the size of their taxable estate and result in higher estate taxes in the future. In such cases, disclaiming allows the asset to pass to the next beneficiary without increasing the disclaiming party’s estate.
Disclaiming an inheritance requires strict compliance with Ohio law. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 5815.36, a valid disclaimer must be in writing, signed, and irrevocable. It must identify the governing document, such as a will or trust, clearly describe the property being disclaimed, and state the intent to disclaim. In some cases, the disclaimer must also be filed with the probate court or recorded with the county recorder. A person may disclaim all or only a portion of an inheritance, but any partial disclaimer must precisely identify the portion being refused. Because these requirements are technical, a poorly drafted disclaimer can be invalid.
In addition to state law requirements, federal tax rules must also be followed. To avoid being treated as a taxable gift, a disclaimer must qualify under Internal Revenue Code Section 2518. One of the most important requirements is timing. The disclaimer must be completed and delivered to the appropriate party within nine months of the decedent’s death. If this deadline is met and the other requirements are satisfied, the IRS will treat the disclaimed asset as if it had never been transferred to the beneficiary. If the deadline is missed, the disclaimer may be treated as a gift to the next beneficiary, potentially creating gift tax consequences.
A common mistake that prevents a valid disclaimer is the acceptance of benefits from the inherited property. To disclaim an asset, the beneficiary must not receive or use any benefit from it. This includes something as simple as depositing a rent check from inherited farmland or receiving income generated by the asset. Once a benefit is accepted, the law generally treats the inheritance as accepted, and the opportunity to disclaim is lost. Because acceptance can occur unintentionally, it is important to identify early whether a disclaimer might be appropriate and avoid any interaction with the asset until that decision is made.
Another important consideration is that a disclaimer does not allow the beneficiary to control who ultimately receives the property. Instead, the law treats the disclaiming party as if they predeceased the person who created the inheritance. The asset then passes according to the terms of the will, trust, or applicable law. In some cases, this means the property will pass to the disclaiming party’s heirs, but in other situations it may pass under the residuary clause of the estate to a different beneficiary entirely. Because of this, it is essential to review the governing document to understand where the property will go before making a disclaimer.
Disclaimers become more complicated when the beneficiary is a minor or lacks legal capacity. A child cannot execute a disclaimer, so a parent or guardian must act on the child’s behalf, and court approval is required. The court must determine that the disclaimer is in the child’s best interest, which can be difficult to establish unless there are clear risks or liabilities associated with the asset. Timing is also a challenge, because court approval takes time but the nine-month federal deadline still applies. These situations require careful planning to ensure the disclaimer is both valid and effective.
The process for disclaiming also depends on the type of asset involved. For assets that pass through a will or trust, the disclaimer must be delivered to the executor, administrator, or trustee. For non-probate assets, such as accounts with a designated beneficiary, the disclaimer must be delivered to the financial institution or plan administrator holding the asset. Each type of asset has its own procedures, and failing to follow the correct process can invalidate the disclaimer.
Special caution is required when Medicaid eligibility is a concern. Medicaid is a needs-based program with strict asset limits, and it may seem logical to disclaim an inheritance to remain eligible for benefits. However, Medicaid rules generally treat a disclaimer as an improper transfer of assets. This can result in a penalty period during which the individual is ineligible for benefits, meaning Medicaid will not cover care costs during that time. As a result, disclaiming an inheritance is usually not an effective strategy for protecting assets from long term care expenses.
Disclaiming an inheritance can be a useful planning tool, but it requires careful attention to detail and timing. The legal and tax rules are strict, and even small missteps, such as missing a deadline or accepting a minor benefit, can eliminate the ability to disclaim. It is also critical to understand the consequences, particularly that the disclaiming party cannot direct where the asset will go. For these reasons, anyone considering a disclaimer should evaluate their options as soon as possible and work with an attorney to ensure the decision aligns with their overall estate and financial planning goals.
Many people assume that if they pass away without a will, their property will simply go to their family or that everything will “work itself out.” Unfortunately, that is not how the law works. When someone dies without a will, called dying intestate, the State of Ohio effectively creates a will for them using a rigid set of statutory rules. These rules may not reflect the person’s wishes, family dynamics, or the needs of a farm operation.
For farm families, intestacy can be especially problematic. Land, equipment, and other farm assets often require careful planning to ensure continuity. Without a will or estate plan, those assets may be divided in ways that disrupt the operation or create conflict among heirs.
The State’s Plan: One-Size-Fits-All
Ohio’s intestacy laws, found in Chapter 2105 of the Ohio Revised Code, determine who inherits probate property when there is no will. The law follows a strict hierarchy —spouse, children, parents, siblings, and more distant relatives. The probate court must apply these rules exactly, with no flexibility to consider what the deceased may have intended.
For example, a farmer may expect that the child who has worked on the farm for years will take over the operation. Under intestacy law, however, that child is treated the same as any other heir, regardless of their involvement in the farm. This can result in shared ownership among multiple heirs, some of whom may want to sell rather than continue farming.
Not All Assets Go Through Probate
A critical and often misunderstood aspect of estate administration is that not all assets are subject to probate or intestacy laws. In fact, some assets pass automatically at death based solely on how they are titled or whether a beneficiary has been named. These are called non-probate assets, and they transfer directly to the named beneficiary without court involvement. This is typically done by identifying a payable on death or transfer on death beneficiary for the asset.
Common examples include:
- Life insurance policies with a designated beneficiary
- Retirement accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s
- Bank or investment accounts with “payable-on-death” (POD) or “transfer-on-death” (TOD) designations
- Jointly owned property with rights of survivorship
- Assets held in a trust
For these assets, the beneficiary designation controls who receives the property rather than a will or intestacy law. Even if a person dies without a will, these non-probate assets will pass directly to the named individual.
For example, if a farmer has a life insurance policy and a bank account naming a child as beneficiary, that child will receive the proceeds automatically upon death. The probate court is not involved, and the intestacy statute does not apply to that asset.
Why Beneficiary Designations Matter
Because beneficiary designations override intestacy, they can be a powerful planning tool. In fact, it is possible for someone to structure much of their estate using beneficiary designations alone. However, this approach has limitations. Many farm assets such as machinery, livestock, and grain are often owned solely in an individual’s name and are not titled so do not have beneficiary designations. These assets must go through probate and will be distributed according to intestacy laws if no will exists.
This creates a split system:
- Non-probate assets (with beneficiaries) transfer automatically
- Probate assets (without beneficiaries) are controlled by intestacy
Without coordination, this can lead to unintended results. One heir might receive all the liquid assets (like insurance or accounts), while others inherit farmland or equipment through probate. That imbalance can create tension and complicate farm operations.
Probate Is Not Avoided, It’s Guaranteed
Some people believe that avoiding a will helps avoid probate. In reality, the opposite is true. Dying without a will often makes probate more complicated. When a valid will exists, it names an executor to manage the estate. Without a will, the probate court must appoint an administrator. This person performs the same duties but without guidance from the deceased. Ohio law gives priority to the surviving spouse and next of kin to serve as administrator. However, if those individuals are unwilling or unable to serve, the court may appoint someone else, including an attorney or even a creditor in some cases. This process can create additional delays, costs, and potential disputes.
Distribution Can Create Real Problems for Farms
Intestacy distribution works reasonably well for simple family situations, but it can create serious complications for farm families. Consider a situation where a surviving spouse and children from a prior marriage inherit the estate. Under Ohio law, the spouse will receive a portion of the estate, with the remainder divided among the children. This can result in multiple individuals owning undivided interests in farmland.
Now imagine one heir wants to continue farming, while another wants to sell the land. Because each owns a share, decisions require agreement. If they cannot agree, a court may order the property sold to divide the proceeds. This outcome can cause failure for a farm operation that took generations to build.
Additional Concerns: Minor Children and Public Proceedings
If minor children are involved, dying without a will creates further complications. A will allows parents to nominate a guardian. Without one, the probate court decides who will raise the children, based on what it believes is in their best interest. Additionally, any inheritance for a minor is typically held in a court-supervised account until the child reaches adulthood. This limits flexibility and may not align with how a parent would want funds managed. It is also important to remember that probate is a public process. Estate filings are accessible to others, which can expose details about land ownership and finances. For farm families, this transparency can invite unwanted attention from outside parties.
Take Control of the Outcome
Dying without a will does not mean avoiding decisions, it means accepting the state’s decisions instead of making your own. For farm families, the stakes are particularly high. Land, equipment, and business interests require thoughtful planning to ensure a smooth transition and to preserve the operation.
A basic estate plan can:
- Ensure assets go to the intended people
- Coordinate probate and non-probate transfers
- Support continuity of the farm operation
- Reduce the risk of family conflict
- Provide clarity during a difficult time
Beneficiary designations are an important tool and can help certain assets avoid probate entirely. But they are not a complete substitute for a well-designed estate plan, especially when significant farm assets are involved. Understanding how intestacy works is the first step. The next step is deciding whether that default plan is one you are willing to accept or whether it is time to create a plan of your own.
Each winter, OSU Extension holds a “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” Zoom webinar series to help families with farm transition planning. We invite you and your farm family to attend this series from the comfort of your home on March 2, 9, 16 and 23, 2026 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This workshop is designed to help farm families learn strategies and tools to successfully create a transition and estate plan that helps you transfer your farm’s ownership, management, and assets to the next generation.
Because of its virtual nature, you can invite your parents, children, and/or grandchildren (regardless of where they live in Ohio or across the United States) to join you as you develop a plan for the future of your family farm.
Pre-registration is required. All course materials will be available electronically and recordings of the presentations will be accessible for four months upon conclusion of each session. The registration fee is $99 per farm family is due by this Friday, February 27, 2026. Register at http://go.osu.edu/FarmFuture2026
Gifting can be an important tool for farm families who are working through a transition plan. Whether the goal is to gradually move assets to the next generation, reduce the size of a taxable estate, or help a child get established in the operation, understanding current federal gift tax rules is essential.
The 2026 Annual Gift Tax Exclusion
For 2026, the federal annual gift tax exclusion is $19,000 per recipient. This means an individual may give up to $19,000 to any number of people during the year without:
- Owing federal gift tax, or
- Reducing their federal estate tax exemption.
For married couples, “gift splitting” allows a couple to combine their exclusions and gift up to $38,000 per recipient in 2026 without using any of their lifetime exemption.
The annual exclusion applies per recipient. For example, grandparents with three grandchildren could each gift $19,000 to each grandchild in 2026, for a total of $114,000 without affecting their estate tax exemption.
Gifts Above the Annual Exclusion
Gifts exceeding $19,000 per recipient are still permitted. However, the excess amount reduces the donor’s federal lifetime estate and gift tax exemption.
For example, assume Farmer gifts farmland valued at $1,019,000 to Daughter in 2026:
- The first $19,000 qualifies for the annual exclusion.
- The remaining $1,000,000 reduces the farmer’s lifetime estate and gift tax exemption from $15,000,000 to $14,000,000.
- No immediate gift tax is owed unless Farmer has already used their entire lifetime exemption.
When a gift exceeds the annual exclusion, the donor must file a federal gift tax return (IRS Form 709), even if no tax is due.
Unlimited Gifts for Education and Medical Expenses
In addition to the annual exclusion, federal law allows unlimited payments for certain educational and medical expenses. These payments:
- Must be made directly to the educational institution or medical provider, and
- Do not count against the annual exclusion or lifetime exemption.
For farm families looking to make larger transfers, paying tuition for a child or grandchild, or covering medical expenses for a family member, can be an efficient way to provide assistance without affecting estate tax limits.
Important Considerations Before Making Gifts
While gifting can be a valuable planning strategy, it is not without risk or tradeoffs.
One key issue for farm families is income tax basis. Assets transferred at death generally receive a “step-up” in basis to fair market value. Lifetime gifts, however, carry over the donor’s basis. This can create significant capital gains tax exposure if the asset is later sold.
Gifting can also affect:
- Cash flow and retirement security for the donor
- Fairness among heirs
- Medicaid eligibility and long-term care planning
- Control of the farming operation
Finally, gifts above the annual exclusion must be properly documented, and gift tax returns filed when required.
Work with Your Advisors
Because gifting interacts with estate tax, income tax, transition planning, and family dynamics, it should be coordinated with your overall farm transition plan. Before making significant gifts, consult with your attorney, tax advisor, and other members of your advisory team to ensure the strategy supports both your long-term goals and financial security.
For more information on gifting strategies and implications, see bulletins Gifting Assets Prior to Death and Gifting to Reduce Federal Estate Taxes available at farmoffice.osu.edu.
The well-known advantages of business entities include liability protection, tax management, and shared management responsibilities. A lesser-known advantage is the relative ease of transferring ownership. When assets such as land, machinery, or livestock are held in an entity like an LLC, ownership interests in the entity can often be transferred far more efficiently than transferring each asset individually. Rather than retitling deeds, updating equipment titles, or reassigning livestock ownership, a transfer of membership interests can effectively shift ownership of all underlying assets in a single step.
Funding the LLC
The first step is to form the LLC and transfer the assets into it. Land is conveyed by deed, titled vehicles by title transfer, and untitled assets such as machinery and livestock by written assignment. This step is critical. Until the LLC is established and owns the assets, there is no entity ownership interest to transfer.
Transferring Ownership
Once the LLC is established and the assets are transferred to it, ownership interests can be transferred with relatively simple documentation. The transfer document should identify the current owner, the recipient, the percentage or units being transferred, the purchase price or value of the gift, and the effective date of the transfer. Both parties should sign and date the document.
Documenting Value
While the transfer of ownership is relatively simple, it is important to document the value of the ownership being transferred. If the transfer is a sale, the value will determine the amount of taxes that may be owed. If the transfer is a gift, the value will determine if the transfer impacts the federal estate tax exemption.
The value of a gifted ownership interest is its fair market value. That value should be supported by an appraisal or reliable market data. If the gift is undervalued, the IRS can adjust it to fair market value, potentially creating adverse tax consequences. While it may be tempting to rely on county auditor values or informal estimates for land, the better practice is to obtain a qualified appraisal. Although an appraisal adds expense, it is often a worthwhile investment to reduce the risk of problems in an IRS audit.
Example
Consider the following example to illustrate gifting through a business entity.
Farmer owns a farm and would like to gift it to Daughter. To minimize potential estate tax concerns, Farmer plans to make annual gifts over ten years, keeping each gift within the annual exclusion amount. Without using a business entity, Farmer would need to execute and record a new deed each year to transfer the annual interest in the property.
If the farm is first transferred to an LLC, however, each annual gift can be completed by transferring membership interests in the LLC through a simple written assignment. This approach avoids repeated deed preparation and recording. In addition, transfers of LLC interests are private transactions, while deeds are recorded and become public record.
As this example illustrates, using a business entity can make ownership transfers relatively simple. For farm and business owners considering a sale or gift of ownership, it may be worthwhile to explore whether establishing an entity would facilitate the transition. Because ownership transfers can carry significant tax and legal implications, legal and tax advisors should be involved in the planning process.
Note: for a thorough discussion on the tax implications of gifting, see the Gifting Assets Prior to Death bulletin available at farmoffice.osu.edu.
Although farm transition planning often focuses on passing assets smoothly from one generation to the next, in some cases, it may be preferable to skip a generation and distribute assets to the following generation. A Generation Skipping Trust (GST) is an estate planning tool that allows a farm owner to do so. A GST is a concept applied in a trust rather than a specific type of legal instrument or document, and it can be used to designate that certain assets will transfer to the grandchildren's generation, while providing financial benefits from the trust to the children's generation during the children's lifetimes.
Our new bulletin is part of the Planning for the Future of Your Farm series and is entitled Using Generation Skipping Trusts to Transfer Farm Assets. This bulletin explains how a GST works, examines what types of farm assets might be best for a GST, how using GST as a tool might affect your federal estate tax exemption, and how different GST provisions can be used to accomodate the needs of multiple generations of a farm family.
Please check out our new bulletin now available on the Farm Office website, or by clicking here.
By David Marrison - Field Specialist, Farm Management
Each winter, OSU Extension holds a “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” Zoom webinar series to help families with farm transition planning. We invite you and your farm family to attend this series from the comfort of your home on March 2, 9, 16 and 23, 2026 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. This workshop is designed to help farm families learn strategies and tools to successfully create a transition and estate plan that helps you transfer your farm’s ownership, management, and assets to the next generation. Learn how to have the crucial conversations about the future of your farm.
Topics discussed during this series include:
- Developing Goals for Estate and Succession
- Planning for the Transition of Management
- Planning for the Unexpected
- Communication and Conflict Management during Farm Transfer
- Legal Tools & Strategies
- Farm Asset and Resource Management Spreadsheet (FARMS)
- Developing Your Team
- Getting Your Affairs in Order
- Selecting an Attorney
Instructors:
The instructors for this series are Robert Moore and David Marrison members of OSU Extension’s Farm Office Team. Robert Moore is an attorney with the OSU Extension Agricultural and Resource Law Program. Prior to joining OSU, Robert was in private practice for 18 years where he provided legal counsel to farmers and landowners. David Marrison is a OSU Extension Field Specialist, Farm Management. David has worked for OSU Extension for 28 years and is nationally known for his teaching in farm succession.
Invite Your Family to Attend with You:
Because of its virtual nature, you can invite your parents, children, and/or grandchildren (regardless of where they live in Ohio or across the United States) to join you as you develop a plan for the future of your family farm.
Registration:
Pre-registration is required. All course materials will be available electronically and recordings of the presentations will be accessible for four months upon conclusion of each session. Click here to register for this program. The registration fee is $99 per farm family is due by February 23, 2026.
More Information:
To obtain more information about this series, please access the Farm Office website at: https://farmoffice.osu.edu/ or contact David Marrison at the 740-722-6073 or by email at marrison.2@osu.edu.
A collaboration of several agricultural organizations have established the Ohio Farm Transition Network, a new endeavor to promote farm transition planning in Ohio. The following is the press release announcing its launch:
Ohio Farm Transition Network Launches to Strengthen Farm Succession Planning Across Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new statewide initiative, the Ohio Farm Transition Network (OFTN), has officially launched operations to address one of the most pressing challenges facing Ohio agriculture: helping farm families successfully plan for the transition of their farms to the next generation.
Agricultural leaders from across Ohio have come together around a shared commitment to help farm families plan for the future by working from the same playbook. This collaboration aligns organizations, service providers, and educators around common language, expectations, and approaches to farm transition planning, reducing confusion for farmers and strengthening outcomes. “Farm families are best served when the industry is aligned and working together,” said Tim Hicks with Ohio Farm Bureau. “This collaborative effort reflects a shared responsibility to provide clear, consistent guidance that helps farmers make informed decisions and move confidently into the next generation.”
The Ohio Farm Transition Network will:
- Train and support attorneys, accountants, lenders, financial advisors, insurance professionals, Extension educators, and other agricultural service providers involved in farm transition planning
- Standardize terminology and best practices to improve the quality and reliability of transition planning services
- Serve as a statewide clearinghouse of educational resources and qualified service providers
- Increase awareness of the importance of proactive farm transition planning
- Measure progress and impact through data collection and reporting on completed transition plans
“OFTN exists to help farm families navigate the complex financial, legal, and personal decisions involved in passing a farm from one generation to the next,” said David Marrison, OSU Farm Management Specialist and Interim Director of the Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute. “By strengthening the professionals who support farm families and coordinating efforts across the agricultural community, OFTN will help preserve Ohio farms for future generations.”
In its first year, OFTN will offer professional training workshops, develop a comprehensive website, grow a statewide membership of trained service providers, and support the completion of farm transition plans across Ohio.
The Ohio Farm Transition Network was established through the collaboration of the following founding members:
- AgCredit
- Farm Credit Mid-America
- Nationwide
- Ohio Corn and Wheat
- Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Ohio Farm Bureau
- Ohio Soybean Council
- Ohio State University Extension
- USDA/Farm Service Agency
Funding for OFTN is generously provided by AgCredit, Farm Credit Mid-America, Nationwide, Ohio Corn and Wheat, and Ohio Soybean Council.
Together, all these organizations share a commitment to collaboration, education, and long-term sustainability for Ohio agriculture.
For more information about the Ohio Farm Transition Network, upcoming programs, or membership opportunities, contact David Marrison (marrison.2@osu.edu) or Robert Moore (moore.301@osu.edu).
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