Family Farm Succession: Factors of Business Transfer Intention

Authors

• Shannon Dill, University of MarylandFollow

Volume

64

Issue

2

Abstract

The transfer of farm assets across generations is essential for the continuity and sustainability of farming operations. As the number of farms decreases and the population ages, the need for effective succession planning becomes increasingly urgent. This paper investigates the factors influencing the intention to transfer family farm businesses, providing insights and recommendations. Four critical factors in farm transition were identified: (a) family dynamics and connection to the farm; (b) farm assets, abilities, and innovation for the future; (c) willingness and mechanisms to transfer the farm; and (d) barriers and conflict in farm transfer.

Authors’ Contribution Statement

Shannon Dill is the sole contributing author of this manuscript.

Data Availability

The data are not publicly available due to privacy/ethical restrictions, as they contain information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Dill, S. (2026). Family Farm Succession: Factors of Business Transfer Intention. Journal of Extension, 64(2), Article 16. https://doi.org/10.66752/1077-5315.5720