University of Wisconsin - Extension

Contact: Joy Kirkpatrick, 608-263-3485, joy.kirkpatrick@ces.uwex.edu

Madison, Wis. – If you’ve been thinking about making farm succession plans, now’s the time to register for a Returning to the Farm workshop.

Families looking toward the future of their farming operations have many issues to consider, including the creation of a management succession plan. Returning to the Farm workshops help farm families plan for a son, daughter or partner to return to the farm and eventually take over the farm business.

University of Wisconsin-Extension, UW-Center for Dairy Profitability, and UW-Madison and UW-River Falls will host two workshop series beginning in December.

The first workshop series begins in December on the UW-Madison campus. The three sessions will be Saturdays, Dec. 1, 2007, Jan. 12, and March 1, 2008 at the J.F. Friedrick Center. Families are expected to participate in all three sessions.

The second workshop series will be held at UW-River Falls. The first session will be on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25 and 26, 2008; and the second session will be on Feb. 15 and 16, 2008.

Returning to the Farm is open to all farm families who want to learn more about planning for farm succession. At the end of the last session of each series, families will have completed the framework of a working succession plan.

The registration fee for the UW-Madison program is $300 per farming unit. If you have more than four people in your farming unit, $75 will be charged for each additional participant. The fee includes materials, meeting room costs, refreshment breaks and lunches.

The early bird registration fee the UW-River Falls programs is $250 per farming unit-up to four people per farm. If you have more than four people in your farming unit, $75 will be charged for each additional participant. The fee includes materials, meeting room costs, refreshment breaks and lunches. The early bird registration deadline is Dec. 1, after that the price of the program is $300 per farming unit.

Overnight accommodations for the Madison program are available. A block of rooms has been reserved for the Friday nights before each Madison workshop at the J.F. Friedrick Hotel and Conference Center, UW-Madison for $81plus tax per night for single occupancy ($10 per night per additional person). Room reservations can be made by calling 608-231-1341, refer to code FARM-NOV.

Overnight accommodations for the River Falls program are available. A block of rooms has been reserved for the Friday nights of each session at The Country Inn and Super 8 in River Falls. When making reservations refer to the Returning to the Farm program.

For more information about the UW-Madison Returning to the Farm program and registration contact Joy Kirkpatrick, UW Center for Dairy Profitability Outreach Specialist at 608-263-3485 or by email joy.kirkpatrick@ces.uwex.edu

For more information about the UW-River Falls Returning to the Farm program contact Gregg Hadley, Assistant Professor and Farm Management Specialist, UW-River Falls at 715-425-3188 or by email gregg.hadley@uwrf.edu

Returning to the Farm is offered to Wisconsin residents through UW-Extension and the UW Center for Dairy Profitability. The program is partially funded by a Dairy Industry Revitalization grant.