Succession planning: get expert help and understand your options
Farmer's Weekly|March 12, 2021
Even if succession seems straightforward, as when passing on operations to a single heir, several steps are needed to facilitate the transfer of the farm from one generation to the next, says Trevor Dickinson.
Trevor Dickinson.
Succession planning: get expert help and understand your options

Succession planning may require changing business structures and deciding between a direct sale and placing assets in the trust. In more complex cases, it might make sense to divide farming operations, enter into a contract with an outside farmer or sell the farm. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Because of the complex nature of a succession plan, a team that includes a lawyer and accountant is indispensable in helping to evaluate the legal and tax implications of different business structures and vehicles (such as trusts) used to transfer assets and operations.

A professional team will also be needed to complete the paperwork required to prepare a formal succession plan.

EVALUATING OPERATIONS

Once your family has established its goals for the future of the farm, including an estimated retirement date and a plan to shift operations and assets, your advisers will look at the current business structure and determine whether it can help you meet those goals, or if restructuring is needed.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FARMER'S WEEKLYView all
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Farmer's Weekly

Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation

Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 22, 2024
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Farmer's Weekly

Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards

Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.

time-read
1 min  |
November 22, 2024
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
Farmer's Weekly

Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards

The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.

time-read
1 min  |
November 22, 2024
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Farmer's Weekly

Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach

Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.

time-read
6 mins  |
November 22, 2024
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
Farmer's Weekly

Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic

The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 22, 2024
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Farmer's Weekly

Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting

Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 22, 2024
THE HITCHING POST
Farmer's Weekly

THE HITCHING POST

I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 22, 2024
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Farmer's Weekly

Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!

Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 22, 2024
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
Farmer's Weekly

Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?

In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 22, 2024
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
Farmer's Weekly

Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season

In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 22, 2024