Rob and Sarah need a way to divide the farm that creates the necessary cash flow for a son moving back to the farm and maintains fairness for him and his brother.

Six quarters and two sons

The problem of fairness in an estate plan

Rob, who is 65, and Sarah, who is 61, farm six quarters of grain and pasture in northwestern Manitoba. They have two sons, Michael and Steven, each in his 30s and married. However, Steven, who has a town job, has decided he would like to try his hand at farming. The issue in devising a […] Read more

parents and an adult child discussing finances

Get the tough and tender transition conversations started in 2024

A farm’s founders may not want the embarrassment if they see a personal net worth lower than expected

Seven years ago, here’s what I said about getting transition conversations started: Show up as adults to attack the issues, do not attack the person who is delivering ideas for change. Understand transition is a journey of many plans, with communication as the foundation. Spend some quiet time with yourself thinking about what you truly […] Read more


Froese: Can farm dad become mentor coach?

Froese: Can farm dad become mentor coach?

Try not to be a micromanager as you let go of your CEO role and transition to mentor

Dick Wittman, a longtime farm management consultant and farmer has transitioned from being the CEO of a 22,000-acre Idaho farm to being his daughter’s mentor coach. His session at Ag Excellence’s 2021 conference was “How to get out of the way without going away.” Google the session and invest 90 minutes towards having better transition […] Read more