When discussions come up in the media about farm succession planning, there is sometimes an ominous undertone — as though the creepy monster of corporate agriculture is lying in wait to snap up the acreage.

Yes, there will truly be a shift in farm ownership in the next decade. But some recent research seems to have a silver lining. Nearly 4 in 10 U.S. farmers anticipate transferring ownership of their operations in the next 10 years, says Ag Access in a recent edition of (?) Ag Pulse. 

Yes, that is almost half of all farms undergoing a leadership transition. “To put this in perspective,” Ag Access says, “in the first 8 months of 2024 only 2.5% of single-family homes in the U.S. changed hands.”

However, some 87% of farmers plan for a family member to take over their farm, and more than 80% are opposed to giving their land to a large company, foundation or some other owner to use for non-farming purposes.

Also good news: 48% of farmers already have a succession plan in place, and 21% are creating one. About 74% want their farm to remain intact rather than being divided among heirs.

When the transfer of ownership occurs is still a mixed bag. About 44% plan to do it during their lifetime and 41% plan to do it after their death.

One area of concern, the research points out, is that 25% of farmers over age 80 haven’t identified a successor.

Producers with livestock appear to have some unique challenges: Only 43% of them — whether they farm or not — have a plan in place, compared to 54% of crop-only farmers. 

Livestock producers, like smaller farmers, are also more likely to state, “I don’t know if I can ever stop working on my farm” (40% vs. 26% for crop-only farmers).

For those of you who no-till, these conversations are especially important because of the progress you’ve made in building up soil health, reducing erosion and protecting the environment. 

If you have a succession plan in place, or if you’re working on one, have you discussed farm management with your heirs? Are you making them commit to no-till? Feel free to share how you’re handling this or teachable moments you’ve run into.