In my work with agricultural families, I’m seeing a growing and difficult reality: many farms and ranches today don’t have a successor within the family. While this absence can simplify parts of estate planning, it often creates deeper, more emotional challenges — especially when legacy and identity are tied to the land.
This is the second installment in a series designed to support farm and ranch owners facing this crossroads. In the first article, I addressed the emotional side of succession without a related heir. If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to go back — grief and uncertainty often block people from planning ahead.
Once you’re emotionally ready to begin planning, the most important question to ask yourself is: “What do I want to happen to my farm or ranch business when I die?”
I emphasize business because planning isn’t just about distributing property like land, equipment, or cattle. Your true legacy may lie more in the values, knowledge, and opportunities you pass on than in the physical assets themselves. Before reading on, take a moment to write down your answer.
Here are three typical responses I hear from owners in this situation. In each case, “my heirs” can also mean a nonprofit, church, conservation group, or other entity:
