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Retiring Farmers & Landowners

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“As a landowner, you have the power to determine the legacy of your
land — that decision is the most important decision you can make.”

                                   — Bill McMillin, who, with his wife Bonnie, transitioned the
family farm to a beginning farmer

 

You are in the right place to move down the path of transitioning your farm to the next generation. Fulfilling a land legacy is rewarding. There is a sense of peace knowing the land will continue to be cared for by a beginning farmer and that the land will provide a home and livelihood for the next generation. But there are a lot of questions to ask and there is a lot of planning that goes into the farm transition journey.

What is your vision for your farm?  How does this fit into the context of the larger rural landscape?  What is the land’s best use?

You do not have to do this alone, there are a number of resources (below), plus people who are willing and able to help.  Please reach out to LSP’s Karen Stettler via e-mail or at 612-767-9885 with questions or for more information.

Getting Started

Here are some important steps in the Farm Transition Planning process:

 

1) What is Your Legacy?

Getting clear on what you are aiming for on your land will give you the best chance to actualize your legacy. Clarify your goals and values, communicate them to your family and next generation farmers, and use these goals and values to guide your farm transition decisions.

  • LSP’s Farm Transition Planning self-guided worksheets help you map out your plan.
  • To get you started, check out this introduction from MISA’s Farm Transitions Toolkit.
  • Farmland Access Decision-Making Tool
  • Farm Legacy Letters (Practical Farmers of Iowa)
  • Am I Ready?/Are We Ready? Starter questions to help activate needed thought and discussion before and during planning for a farm transition.

2) Financial Considerations of Creating Your Legacy

What are the financial realities of your farm enterprise? Will your farm need to support two families during a transition? Is there room for companion enterprises?  What are your financial needs in retirement? Having a clear picture of your financial situation and answers to these questions will help you envision a farm transition that will fit your budget.

  • Conservation Financing
  • Minnesota Beginning Farmer Tax Credit
  • Iowa State University Farm Transition Decision Maker Tool

3)  Legal Considerations of Creating Your Legacy

Once  you have your legacy in mind and have figured out the financial options you have, it is important to make sure you have legal documents drawn up to finalize the plan. This is an important step and one that is best handled by attorneys with farm transition experience.

  • Conservation Leases (FLAG)
  • Contract for Deed (FLAG)
  • Tips for Finding an Attorney

4) Conservation Considerations to Create Your Legacy

You have cared for your land and want to ensure the land will continue to be cared for in a way that enhances the soil, air, and water.  There are things you can do right now.

  • Valuing Sustainable Practices
  • LSP Conservation Leases Toolkit
  • Soil Health

5) Alternatives for Land Legacy

Accessing secure and affordable land is a barrier for many and it’s clear a system-wide change is needed when it comes to farmland policy, markets, and infrastructure. Such changes take time. In the interim, there need to be alternative ways for beginning farmers to access land.

  • Minnesota Commons — Agrarian Trust
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service easements
  • Land Return

6) Networking with Other Beginning & Retiring Farmers

There really are new farmers who want to get started and, on the other side of the equation, established farmers who want to see another generation of farmers on their land. Sometimes the hardest part is connecting those beginning farmers and retiring landowners. Here are a few ideas for making such connections.

  • LSP’s Seeking Farmers-Seeking Land Clearinghouse
  • MOSES Land Link-Up
  • Practical Farmers of Iowa Farm Transfer
  • Land for Good
  • Land Return
  • Farmland Access Hub

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Contact

Karen Stettler, LSP farm transitions organizer, 612-767-9885, e-mail

  • For Farmers & Landowners
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    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Farm Transition Planning Course
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
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Upcoming Events

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August 2025

Friday August 8

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Roots & Rotation Grazing Field Day
Friday August 8
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Roots & Rotation Grazing Field Day
10470 190th St, Park Rapids, MN 56470, USA

Roots and Rotation is a summer field day series happening across Minnesota. These field days will discuss the use of livestock for soil health goals in different agricultural systems. 
 
Learn about the benefits of integrating livestock onto cropland and how to make it work on your operation. Hear from experienced farmers and Extension educators specializing in crops, livestock, and soil health. These events are for producers looking to elevate their cropland soil health and increase their forage resources. 

For more information and to register, see the Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association website.

4:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Sunflower Social Farmer Gathering
Friday August 8
4:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Sunflower Social Farmer Gathering
22955 570th Ave, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Members of the Land Stewardship Project’s Austin Area Soil Health Hub are hosting a sunflower social on Tom and Kim Finnegan’s farm Friday, Aug. 8, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This event will be open to all area farmers. Meet members of this peer-to-peer farmer group, see the beautiful sunflower fields, and learn about diversification.  

Farming should include a trusted network that ensures we are all successful. How could having a network of farmers that provide support, resources, and comradery impact your farm? 

On Aug. 8, gather with area farmers who are invested in soil health and sustainable practices, and are committed to learning from each other. Join us for an evening on the Finnegan farm for a hay ride around the sunflower fields and to learn more about their diversified farm. There will be a supper and lots of time to connect with farmers in the area.

RSVP here. 

Thursday August 14

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSA-COPAL Ice Cream Social/Reunión de Helados!
Thursday August 14
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSA-COPAL Ice Cream Social/Reunión de Helados!
Sauk River Park, 206 5th Ave NE, Melrose, MN 56352, USA

Land Stewardship Action (the Land Stewardship Project’s partner organization) and COPAL (Communities Organizing Latine Power and Action) invite you to an ice cream social at Sauk River Park in Melrose on Thursday, August 14. There will be sweet treats and opportunities to connect with those in your community, many of whom you might not know yet. This is a time to come together over our shared vision for a better future rooted in community, diversity, fairness, health, and democracy.

If you’re able, please register ahead of time through the link below so we can get an idea of numbers. Feel free to pass the invite on to others in the community as well — the more the merrier!

You can register here. 
 
For more information, contact Land Stewardship Action’s Emily Minge at eminge@landstewardshipproject.org.

Friday August 15

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Managed Grazing & Soil Health Field Day: Rush City
Friday August 15
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Managed Grazing & Soil Health Field Day: Rush City
10815 555th St, Rush City, MN 55069, USA

Join the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition at Jon Steven’s Maple Grove Farm for a field day focused on managed grazing and other methods to build the health of soils. Connect with other farmers and learn from the leaders in Minnesota on soil health. Featured speakers: Tom Cotter, Brady Wulf, Myron Sylling, and Joe Ailts. Free lunch by Maxwell’s Southern BBQ. Details are here.

Saturday August 16

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Master Class: Morris
Saturday August 16
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Master Class: Morris
Old No 1 Bar & Grill, 412 Atlantic Ave, Morris, MN 56267, USA

Details are here.

View Full Calendar

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