University of Idaho Extension is asking Eastern Idaho farmers to take an online survey to guide future succession planning workshops. The survey includes 15 questions about the timing, content, frequency and locations that would serve farmers best. The survey will remain open through the end of the year. The average age of an Idaho farmer is 56. 6 years old, a UI Extension press release noted, citing the 2022 Census of Agriculture “a reminder that many producers are nearing a point where they need to make key decisions about the future of their operations.” “The goal of the ranch succession workshops is not for them to walk out with a finalized plan but to know how to start the conversation and what they need to do before they start a conversation with an accountant or lawyer and get them started down the road,” stated Shannon Williams, UI Extension educator, based in Lemhi County, in the press release. “That communication piece is the foundation of everything.” UI Extension aims to offer at least one succession planning training in Eastern Idaho per year, changing locations throughout the region to reach more producers. By the end of the class, producers should have a good idea of what they intend to leave behind and meetings they should schedule with estate lawyers, financial planners and other professionals. Workshops typically last a total of six hours, spread over multiple sessions to allow families time to complete homework. Extension recently entered a partnership with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, the Pocatello-based Sagebrush Steppe Regional Land Trust, the Driggs-based Teton Regional Land Trust and American Farmland Trust to help run and promote the training.
https://capitalpress.com/2025/11/20/university-of-idaho-extension-surveys-farmers-on-succession-planning-workshops/
University of Idaho Extension surveys farmers on succession planning workshops
