Engaging Agriculture

Navigating farm succession without a family heir: Right of first offer and right of first refusal

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 article is the eighth in a series supporting farm and ranch owners facing this transition. If you’re just joining, I recommend reading the earlier pieces at cap.unl.edu for helpful background.