Diving into succession planning

A frequent topic of concern we hear about from landowners is succession planning. It can be complex, emotional, and is not a one-size-fits all type of endeavor. We’ve heard from you all that this is an area where you’d like us to provide support, and to kick that off we wanted to do a deep dive into what succession planning is, why it’s important, and share some of our recommended resources. We’re also hosting a free Landowner Workshop focused on Succession Planning on July 12, 2026. We’ll be emailing out details and how to RSVP in mid-June, so keep an eye on your inbox!

So, why is succession planning important? From an industry viewpoint, the future of agriculture in California depends on successful succession planning. While that may seem like a big statement, in 2020 the American Farmland Trust estimated the ownership of 40% of agricultural land in the nation will be in transition within the next 15 years. Furthermore, the FarmLASTS Project (2009) found that 88% of farmers and farmland owners neither had a farm transition plan nor knew how to develop one.

We know that this is not due to farmers and ranchers not wanting to plan for the future of agriculture, but instead speaks to the difficulty of succession planning. Agricultural succession planning isn’t just about planning for the land, it can also mean planning for your family, the future of the business itself, and so much more. Plus, it often involves building a team of professionals to help you – CPAs, attorneys, appraisers, financial advisors, mediators, and more. All of this can easily become a major time commitment on top of the everyday work of being a farmer or rancher. It’s a lot!

Ag + Open Space strives to support our landowners in many ways, and we also know that helping with succession planning is the right thing to do as easement stewards. We want to help our current landowners, who are also deeply committed to the conservation of their land, ensure that the legacy of stewardship continues. As new landowners take on the land, we want to be a part of supporting that transition so we can all ensure the land continues to thrive.

In addition to the upcoming Landowner Workshop, we wanted to share some vetted and  recommended resources to support your succession planning journey:

• Land for Good Succession Planning Workbook – This workbook is designed to help you start thinking about and addressing the important farm succession plan issues. You will assess your current situation, clarify values and goals, and how to move forward.
• FarmLink Regenerator – A comprehensive program to generate a plan and support the process of transferring farm ownership and management. Each farm or ranch forms a “planning team” of up to eight people to participate in the yearlong process.
• California Land Transfer Navigators – Land Transfer Navigators are skilled professionals who provide direct assistance to farmers, ranchers, and landowners. They support succession and transfer planning so a new generation can thrive on the land.
• County of Sonoma Assessor’s Office – Proposition 19 – This resource outlines the impacts of Prop 19, has useful forms and resources, and a calculator to estimate property tax impacts.
• Leasing Resources – Leasing can be a critical element of succession planning by identifying successors and engaging in mentorship, or as an income source during the transfer to the next generation. A few helpful resources for leasing include:
  • Match.graze
  • Farmlink guidance for regenerative grazing leases
  • Farmlink guidance for general leasingtools for landowners, many of which cover leasing
  • Finding Farmland Finding Farmers toolkit
• Farm Transfer Plan Template from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources toolkit on succession planning – AFT

As always, we welcome you reaching out to us if you’d like to talk further, and we look forward to seeing you at the Landowner Workshop on  July 12, 2026, 11am-3pm!

Contact us at OpenSpace@SonomaCounty.gov or 707-565-7359