Huron County is the most agriculturally productive county in Ontario. Its 2,564 farms have capital assets worth more than $12.2 billion. That’s more than some countries.
“Huron County has a lot of wealth tied up in families’ investments in the various businesses and farms we have. To have that successfully transferred and transitioned to the next generation is so important. It’s not so much about the dollars, it’s about family harmony,” said Huron County Warden Glen McNeil.
A recent survey conducted by Huron County found that only 14 percent, or 358 of those 2,564 farms, have a farm transition plan to transfer the farm and its valuable land to the next generation of primary food producers.
That’s over $10 billion in unprotected assets, which is why Elaine Froese, Canada’s Farm Whisperer and Farm Family Coach was in Goderich Thursday to talk tough about the uncomfortable but necessary conversations more farmers have to have.
“There may be hard conversations, but we come from the approach that you want to get clarity of expectations, and not make assumptions. You want timelines in place because we all know that procrastination is killing agriculture,” said Froese, who farms with her family in Manitoba.
Source : London CTV News