Downey told farm families in 2026 to begin succession planning now, saying even two or three concrete steps over the next 30 to 45 days can move the process forward.
He said delay often stems from fear of getting it wrong, but succession plans can evolve as the farm changes and as the next generation decides what role it wants.
Those talks are especially hard because they mix business and family decisions across land, livestock, finances and management, making a third party useful for keeping relatives and advisers aligned.
Retirement on a farm also rarely means a clean exit, he said, with older operators often able to stay involved while handing more management responsibility to younger family members.
The bigger risk is waiting until health problems, tax changes or other life events force decisions, leaving families to shape a 10- to 15-year future under pressure instead of on their own timetable.