PORTLAND, OREGON, January 14, 2015– East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD), Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) and the Austin Family Business Program at Oregon State University are offering a free family farm succession program on Tuesday, February 3 from 6-9 pm at the Milwaukie Center, 5440 SE Kellogg Creek Drive, Milwaukie, OR 97222. The program is entitled, “What Does the Future Hold for Your Farm?” There is no cost for the program and light refreshments will be served.
The average age of farmers in Oregon is now over 59 years and many family farms are facing a transfer between generations or to someone outside of the family. There are many important issues for farm families to consider when retiring from farming. Can the current owners afford to retire, do the kids want to keep farming, and how to transfer the farm’s assets, are some of the important issues that have to be addressed.
“The Districts want to help farmers stay in business and keep good land in production,” said Rick McMonagle, Manager of EMSWCD’s Land Legacy Program. “Providing producers with reliable information about how to transfer the farm to the next generation, is one important part of a sometimes complicated process,” he said.
This program features three prominent experts in farm transitions:
June Wiyrick Flores, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn, LLP, is an attorney who focuses on developing and implementing succession strategies for families, family businesses and closely held businesses.
Michael Menzies, farmer and financial planner at Pembroke Asset Advisors, LLC in Beaverton, OR, who works directly with farm families to find practical solutions to their financial issues.
Sherri Noxel, Ph.D., Director of the Austin Family Business Program at Oregon State University, leads many classes and workshops in farm succession planning throughout Oregon.
For additional information contact:
Rick McMonagle, EMSWCD, at 503-935-5374 or 971-271-9281
Tom Salzer, CCSWCD, at 503-210-6001
Sherri Noxel, OSU-Austin Family Business Program, at 800-859-7609