An article called simply "Succession Planning" was presented in Case IH's Canadian Farming back in 2004, and remains one of best quick overviews we've seen on the topic. The piece concludes with 15 key points to "Jump-Start Your Farm Succession Planning", as proposed by Peter Coughler of Ontario's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The points include:

• "Learn as much as you can about farm succession and become an active participant in the planning process."
• "Use a family meeting mechanism to open the lines of communication among family members."
• "Discuss the issue of fair vs. equal division of the farm early in the process."

It will be well worth your time to read through the full "Jump-Start" list; recommended reading in two minutes or less.