A22-Unc«ter Farming, Saturday, April 1, 2000 To Transfer Farm Estate: Communicate, Seek Advice, And Begin Early ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff GAP (Lancaster Co.) There are no “cookbook” reci pes for passing on the farm, ac cording to the director of a family farm transfer advocacy group. But several things are critical, according to Marion L. Bowlan, executive director of Pennsylva nia Farm Link: early planning for the transfer of the estate, open communication, and seek ing the right legal advice. Bowlan and several estate transfer planning experts spoke Wednesday to about 74 land owners and potential farm owners at the Passing On The Farm Workshop at the Gap Diner in Gap. Bowlan quoted USDA statis tics nationwide: the average net return for a typical farm is about $23,000, which provides only marginal living. An even more striking statistic: though 90 per cent of farms in Pennsylvania are owned by the family, only 30 percent are successfully trans ferred to the second generation, 15 percent to the third, and only 6 percent to the fourth. Pennsylvania Farm Link, noted Bowlan, is a nonprofit or ganization in its third year of op eration dedicated to creating farming opportunities for the next generation. The organiza tion includes a board of direc tors assembled from farms, the wiring harness and roller fairfead. 5 , N ™ Readin9 Road - Rt 272 > Ephrata, PA 17522 717-733-4151 1-800-522-3714 (PA Only) ™ ar d 3/4/09 0 4/30/00 when Pual'f'ett model is purchased and registered dunna the Dronram” S d , Al . pa , rt ' c,pa ' Prorn ot'on excludes tax freight dealer installation and selun Seevnur ran h« ? r S Re,ail custcimers only Otter not valid in combination with any other offers Warnma ATVs bf IT ? ,0 opera * Never car/y passenpers Be "PM** careful on diS tSn Nev 9 r mav paved sur,ai « Always wear a helmet and protective clothing Sns AT?s Snn b ( dde by any<me under a9e 16 and 311 ntlers should take a training course for safetv and training information see your dealer or call Polaris at 1 800 342 3764 © 2000 Rolans Sales Inc * d American Farmland Trust, Penn State Cooperative Exten sion, the state Grange, the state departments of agriculture and education, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, and other groups. The program began as a way to link prospective younger farmers with those farmers who were retiring. But since then, services have been expanded to include an educational compo nent and workshops to address the issues of family farm estate transfers. A new apprentice program will involve a dozen farmers who volunteered to work with high school kids on educating and training the “next genera tion” about farming, Bowlan noted. Bowlan said that according to 1997 statistics, 17 percent of farm operators are 70 years or older and only 8 percent are age 35 or under. Increasingly, pro grams such as Farm Link are needed to help the younger gen eration become involved in farming. First, though, family and sib ling issues need to be discussed. Family members need to talk openly about potential transfers before financial or legal consult ants are brought into the pic ture. Transferring the farm in volves three universal decisions: one, working out a method to provide adequate retirement POLARIS* % K April 30,2000 * The Way Out. There are no “cookbook” recipes for passing on the farm, according to Marion L. Bowlan, executive director of Pennsylvania Farm Link, second from left. Speakers at the farm estate transfer workshop included, from left, Kevin Baer, coordinator fo the Ches ter County Agriculture Land Preservation Program; Bowlan; Samuel Goodley, of Byler, Goodman, and Goodley; and Suzanne Lamborn, landowner. income; two, treating all chil- “These are all very difficult sion will determine the success dren equitably in the decision; issues,” said Bowlan. “There are of the farm transfer ” and third, managing the succes- no easy answers. A lot of discus sion so the next generation won’t be saddled with unreason able debts. 7IMMERMAN MFG. CORP. WELL BALANCED, RUGGEDLY BUILT FOR 380 SERIES P( A Vei Eli ZIMMERMAN HEAVY DUTY HAY TEDDER - 790 SERIES jr Increases hay crop value with faster drying tlme " A Full Line Of EFFICIENT BELT DRIVE FANS Exhaust Fan w/Housing & Shutter 36” & 48” Portable I 'WUK/K* 24”, 30”, 36”, 48” Circulating Fans RT and FRT Series Trailers Aval We Also Build Other Models, Sizes, 125 King Court/ Hollander Rd. New Holland, PA 17557 (717) 354-9611 MANY YEARS OF TROUBLE FREE SERVICE lilable In 5000# thru 12,000# GVW. i, and Capacities. Call For Information, I Ul' (Turn to Page A3O) ul For feying Corn, ; eeds, rains, Manure
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers