Farm legacy program planned

PAXTON, Ill. — A Farm Legacy Panel Discussion is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Engelbrecht Farm, 275 N. 1400 E. Road, Paxton. This is a candid conversation about family, heritage and long-term plans of your farming operation.

Bring your family for a forthright conversation about what happens as the farm trades hands and learn how to have discussions about topics including taxes, estate planning and protecting your legacy.

The mission is to educate farm families with professional expertise, in a space free of advertising or sales pitches, for the sole purpose of being the catalyst for tough conversations we know are needed, but are difficult to begin.

Cheryl Mitchell’s experiences — being from a farm family and working with clients who are farmers — have shown too many times how families can be destroyed when farm legacy conversations are ignored.

So, Mitchell decided to do something about it. She’d rather families have one or two uncomfortable Christmases together than no more.

Mitchell put together a panel consisting of banker, attorney, insurance agent and accountant, those who know how best to assist a family in working through getting started and getting a plan set up.

This is an informal environment where the focus is on education and information. No sales are involved.

What is the vision you have for your farm business? Do you want this life or is it someone else’s dream?

Did You Know?

• 30% of family farms make it to the second generation.

• 12% of those make it to the third generation.

• 3% make it to the fourth generation.

• It takes one generation to build a farm, one generation to grow a farm and one generation to lose a farm.

• Farmers are living longer, so three generations can be relying on income to support their family.

What is the vision you have for your operation? Do the people involved want this life or is it someone else’s dream?

Where do you start? How do you start? By attending this panel discussion, that will provide you what you need to get started, one small step at a time.

Cost to attend is free, and drinks and snacks will be served.

RSVP by Nov. 10 to Mitchell at 217-369-0637 or cheryl@cherylbmitchell.com.