3121 Old Philadelphia Pike
Bird in Hand, PA 17050
Penn State Extension and Center for Dairy Excellence
It’s never too early or too late to start thinking about “passing the torch” and finding someone in line to transition ownership of your dairy business. You and your family are invited to this “Passing the Torch” Next-Level Transition Planning Workshop in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. What does next-level mean? This workshop is designed to go beyond the basics!
- Hear a more in-depth discussion about business structures and plans, when and how to use them, and more.
- Learn about pre-nuptials, post-nuptials, and how to structure them.
- Get more examples and case studies of different transition plans.
- Reflect on what your plan is if someone passes away unexpectedly.
- Hear success stories.
- Participate in one-on-one, interactive family roundtable discussions that are led by outside advisors to keep the process moving in a productive way.
Hosted by Penn State Extension and the Center for Dairy Excellence, the workshop will be held on November 12, 2026 in Bird in Hand, PA. The workshop includes lunch and one-on-one, interactive family roundtable discussions led by outside advisors. If you have attended one of our previous “Passing the Torch” workshops, this event is designed to take those topics to the next level with a deeper dive. We hope you can join us for this one.
Why should you or your family attend? Maybe your kids are only in high school or college, and you’re not ready to pass the torch quite yet. Remember, it can take years to successfully transition your business, so having one-on-one conversations now can help down the road when you’re ready to begin the process. Maybe you don’t have a family member interested in taking over your dairy enterprise. Remember, the “torch” can go to anyone and there are other options to consider when planning your transition. Maybe you’re just starting to think about retirement, or maybe you’re nearing retirement and haven’t thought about your succession plan at all. It’s not too late. No matter what stage you’re in, this interactive workshop will get everyone around the table for one-on-one coaching with facilitators, legal experts, accountants and more.
Several dairy farm families shared their thoughts after attending previous workshops in the series:
“Thank you for giving us a platform and context to start very difficult conversations. Very helpful – even just to begin a starting point.”
“This workshop was great! It gave us an idea of what we need to do next.”
“I learned farm transition planning is critical to the success of the next generation to be successful. They don’t just happen without forethought and planning.”
Date and Location:
- November 12 from 8:30 am – 3 pm – Plain & Fancy Farm (3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, PA). Check-in starts at 8:30, and the workshop begins promptly at 9 a.m.
- Click here to register today.
Cost:
Registration is $40 for the first family member to attend and $10 for each additional family member. Your entire family is encouraged to attend. Space is limited!
Meet Our Speakers:
Mike McGrann is a Managing Director in the BBH Center for Family Business. In this role, he helps private business owners navigate issues at the intersection of family and business and is a trusted thought partner to owners as they manage complex issues around succession, growth, and legacy preservation. Prior to joining the firm, Mike spent over 25 years working with complex multigenerational family enterprises, families of wealth, and family offices around the world providing consulting services and educational programming.
Jennifer Wetzel is dedicated to serving the legal needs of Pennsylvania’s farm and agri-business community. For the past 15 years, she has worked with all types of agricultural businesses across the state, advising them on a broad spectrum of legal issues. She is recognized for her in-depth knowledge of business succession planning, real estate and asset preservation within the agricultural law context. She has given presentations on these topics for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pennsylvania Farm Link, and Pennsylvania Bankers Association. Jennifer was appointed by Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding, to the Advisory Board for the Agricultural Business Development Center. She is a licensed title insurance agent and is a Succession Coordinator for the International Farm Transition Network and the Center for Dairy Excellence. Previously, she served as the Vice-Chairman of the Agricultural Law Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Mike Peachey is a CPA and partner with Acuity Advisors and CPAs, LLP, and leads the firm’s agricultural services practice. Acuity’s agricultural services group serves family owned agribusiness and production agriculture clients in the Mid-Atlantic region, providing consulting, business planning, and traditional financial and tax reporting services. In addition to practice leadership responsibilities, Michael advises clients and their owners on a variety of business growth, financing, succession and exit planning events in the life cycle of their family business. Michael believes that family businesses are the backbone of our communities and is passionate about helping family businesses grow, prosper, and transition generationally. He especially appreciates serving clients in the agricultural sector where the values of faith, family, and community are lived out.