By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

WILMINGTON, Ohio — Clinton County extension educator Tony Nye was hoping for a good turnout at the first-ever Small Farm Conference. He was granted his wish, and more.

This event, which sponsored by The Ohio State University extension in Clinton County and held last week on the campus of Wilmington College, attracted 198 participants. Another 100 wanted to attend, but registration was limited. This influx is simply proof that more small farm landowners are looking for land use options to maximize profits with their agricultural enterprises.

Entitled Opening Doors to Success, the one-day event showcased more than 30 seminars taught by OSU extension specialists and industry professionals, on a wide variety of agricultural enterprises such as aquaculture, farm management, forages, pasture, exotic and traditional livestock, fruits and vegetables, natural resources, organic production and sustainable agriculture.

Perhaps the hottest topic at this inaugural event (which attracted farmers and growers from four states) was multiple enterprising, growing for a farmers’ market, more popularly known as market gardening.

“In the past, farmers had to search for markets, but nowadays the markets are coming to the farmers,” said Brad Bergefurd, OSU research and extension horticulturist. “We’re seeing in Ohio that the local foods and the demand for them is there. It’s a wide open opportunity for the farmers who want to work that hard.”

According to Bergefurd, good money can be made at farm markets by small market gardeners.

“Any time you have small acres and sell at the retail level, you’re getting more money per square foot,” he said. “Is there a market out there for growers? You bet. In Ohio, with the popularity of local-grown products, we have more farmers’ markets than farmers to produce the product, and that’s a good thing.”

Bergefurd warns there’s plenty of input costs to be concerned with and one should consider whether the enterprise fits one’s lifestyle.
“Depending on what you’re growing, you may have to be at this 24/7,” Bergefurd added. “This can require a lot of hard work, with high cost risks and an initial outlay of cash to get started. Then, there’s other things to consider, like transportation costs, increased management needs and, of course, Mother Nature.”

Other seminars touched on hunting leases, orchard planning, rabbit production, horse nutrition, freezer beef, fence building, berry production and basics of maple production. Another highly-attended session involved the transition of a farm operation, management and assets to the next generation.

“Getting the next generation ready to take over the farm operation is something most farmers neglect to do, yet it’s so important,” said David Marrison, OSU extension educator and professor from Ashtabula County.

“The problem is, people don’t talk about it until it’s oftentimes too late. Farmers should have conversations of this nature with their sons and daughters, but most don’t want to talk about things like dying.”

According to Marrison, 90 percent of businesses are categorized as family-owned. But while 78 percent intend to pass the business on to their children, only 34 percent create a succession plan.
“With farms you’re talking about millions and millions of dollars worth of assets,” he said. “Assets add up quickly on a farm, and most don’t realize that.”

Marrison told the gathering that farmers should ask themselves if there really is a future for the family business, and if anyone in the family wants to continue with the operation. Family members getting along, he added, is highly important.

“The underlying success of a business agreement depends on healthy family relationships,” he said. “Probably more two-generation family business arrangements fail because of poor family relations, than any other reason.”

According to Marrison, assets can be tangible or intangible. Those tangible assets include breeding livestock, crop inventories, machinery and equipment, the land and the buildings. Intangible assets include business knowledge, insurance, unwritten agreements and managerial control.

In addition to touching upon the transfer of assets, Ohio estate taxes, wills and gifts, Marrison gave his six principles of estate planning.
“One should always test organizational options against both a best- and worst-case scenario,” he said. “Second, business, retirement, transition, estate and investment planning should integrate with one another.

Third, one should assure a perception of fairness among the children and other interested heirs.

“Fourth, never give ownership interests away unless you’re prepared to lose property via divorce, death or creditors. One should never structure the business entity so that off-farm heirs are involved in ownership of the operating property.

“Finally, one should make certain there is sufficient income for parents from the operation and still have income for others in the operation,” he concluded.

The event attracted growers and farmers from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky.