American Farmland Trust: April 8 Workshop In Greenwich, New York To Educate Farmers On How To Transfer Farmland To New Farmers Through Estate Planning

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., March 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- American Farmland Trust has partnered with members of the Hudson Valley Farmlink Network to host a workshop on April 8 in Greenwich, New York to help educate farmers and landowners on how to effectively transfer farmland to new farmers through estate planning.

"Planning for the transfer of your farm to the next generation can be a complicated and challenging process involving taxes, business structures, assets, and other farm management and family considerations," said David Haight, New York State Director of AFT.  "But, it is critical that farmers and landowners make these plans as almost 30 percent of New York's farmers are age 65 or older.  The plans that farmers and landowners make, or do not make, will have a huge impact on their families and the future of agriculture in New York."

The Getting Started: Farm Transfer and Estate Planning Workshop will cover fundamental considerations for farm and estate plans, communication tools for working through family and business issues, land conservation options for protecting your land, and resources to help you with the farm transfer planning process.

Speakers will include representatives from NY FarmLink, Agricultural Stewardship Association and our featured presenter, John Lavelle, from Lavelle & Finn, LLP in Saratoga and Latham, New York, an attorney and certified public accountant who specializes in family business formations, estate planning and tax reductions, drafting of wills, trusts and related documents, income tax matters and charitable planned giving. 

The workshop will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Boneyard BBQ, 2530 State Route 40, Greenwich, New York, behind the USDA building.

The cost of the workshop is $20/person, including lunch, with registration prior to April 3.  Walk-in registration with lunch is $25/person. (All walk-in registration payments must be either cash or check.)

For more information and to register, visit the Agricultural Stewardship Association website at: http://www.agstewardship.org  or call 518-692-7285 or send email to: [email protected].

The Hudson Valley Farmlink Network is a partnership of organizations dedicated to facilitating farm transfers and making farmland accessible to the next generation of farmers in the Hudson Valley.

The American Farmland Trust is the nation's leading conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.

For information on American Farmland Trust's work in New York visit: www.farmland.org/newyork, Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmericanFarmlandtrustny or Twitter: @FarmlandNY.

AFT will host the Farmland, Food and Livable Communities national conference in Lexington, Kentucky on October 20-22.  Visit www.farmland.org for more information.

For more information on the policies and programs of the American Farmland Trust, visit www.farmland.org, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanFarmland or Twitter www.twitter.com/farmland.

CONTACT:
David Haight, New York State Director, American Farmland Trust
Phone: 518-581-0078
Email: [email protected] 
or
Renee Bouplon, Associate Director, Agricultural Stewardship Association
Phone: 518-692-7285
Email: [email protected]
or
Dan Welch, Business and Succession Planning Coordinator, NY FarmLink
Phone: 800-547-3276
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE American Farmland Trust