Tailgate Talk: Early Christmas Present for Pennsylvania Farmers

As one of 11 siblings raised on a dairy farm on the edge of the Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding knows firsthand the importance of succession planning for farm families. Redding personally experienced the challenges that face siblings who want to continue farming when no formal plan is in place to guide the transition to the next generation. This experience and a passion for agriculture underpinned his drive to make sure Pennsylvania farmers had the chance to attend a Farm Journal Legacy Project workshop close to home. Redding, who has followed the program from its inception, worked hard to add Harrisburg, Pa., to the 2010 workshop schedule. The result: an early Christmas present to 225 farm family members who are taking the first steps to leave a legacy. As one farmer told us before lunch, this is the gift that just keeps on giving.