By TRU JOI CURTIS
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
FAYETTEVILLE — The average age of farmers continues increasing, according to the latest Census of Agriculture, yet many of those farmers haven’t completed an estate plan.
The 2022 Census of Agriculture, released this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that the average age of a farmer is 58.1 years, up 0.6 years from the 2017 census.
The lack of an estate plan can lead to disruption in farm operations, not to mention chaotic cash flow and a lot of hurt feelings following the death of the farm’s principal operator.
Attorney Connie Haden of The Law Firm of Haden & Colbert will discuss the ins and outs of farm and ranch estate planning at the National Agricultural Law Center’s 11th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference, which will be hel June 6-7.
During her session, “Estate Planning & The Farm: Top Tips and Practice Pointers,” Haden will provide practical, need-to-know estate planning information.
“Estate planning is extremely important for everyone, but especially so for producers and farm families and the overall health of the ag industry. It’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all situation,” Haden said. “We’ll be addressing practical tips, best practices, and pitfalls to avoid during the estate planning process.”
The Mid-South Conference will be held in Memphis, Tennessee at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. The conference will also be available via livestream for those unable to participate in person. Registration, agenda and more information is available online. For those who register by May 13, two bonus hours of free online CLE/CE is available.
“The annual Mid-South conference is a premiere legal education and networking opportunity, including having great folks like Connie Haden,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “Estate planning is a huge issue in the agriculture sector, especially in the Mid-South. Connie’s direct experience with farm and ranch estate planning is a significant part of the excellent agenda for the 11th Annual Mid-South Conference.”
