Certified Farm Succession Coordinator Training
Certified Farm Succession Coordinator Training
Offered by the UW-Madison Division of Extension in collaboration with the International Farm Transition Network (IFTN).
Become a Certified Farm Succession Coordinator
Farm succession planning and support is a mix of technical expertise including financial, tax, and legal aspects. However, to move assets and management decisions to the next generation effectively, farm owners and successors must also navigate complex human dynamics, including the emotional barriers that frequently stall the planning process.
Did you know?
Farmers aged 65 and older own approximately 40% of U.S. farmland. As these farmers exit farming over the next 20 years, an estimated 350 million acres of farmland are expected to change hands.
Service providers working in farm succession and estate planning all have stories of farms and businesses that start a process and then hit the pause button, maybe not even responding to follow up calls or emails.
Many farm businesses now recognize the necessity of a neutral third-party facilitator to lead goal clarification, explore transition options, and coordinate communication among family members and farming partners. The Certified Farm Succession Coordinator Training provides the facilitation tools and skill-building to improve service providers’ ability to lead a structured process resulting in better informed business and estate planning decisions.
During this training, you will…
- Develop a personalized structure for facilitating productive conversations to support the planning process.
- Develop first strategies of working with a farm succession process.
- Develop systems that effectively treat an operation as a business.
- Use effective practitioner worksheets and tools.
- Analyze real-life scenarios to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts and tools of succession planning.
“The training has helped me become more confident in succession planning and to look more at the big picture of succession planning needs. The tools provided are very useful in guiding conversations.”
–Program participant
Meet the instructors
Instructors are Joy Kirkpatrick (Farm Succession Outreach Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Kiley Fleming (Executive Director of the Iowa Mediation Service). Both have been instructors for this training for over a decade and have extensive experience in human resources, facilitation, and mediation.
Earn Your Digital Badge
Upon completion of the training, registrants are eligible to submit the certification exam to become a Certified IFTN Farm Succession Coordinator. Participants who successfully pass the exam will receive a digital badge verified through UW-Madison Division of Extension to show that they have developed the communication and strategic planning skills required to support the succession planning process.
The CFSC digital badge is valid for 3 years. Completing additional continuing education credits as required by the IFTN will extend the digital badge along with the IFTN certification.
Upcoming Trainings
September 2026 | November 2026
September 14-16, 2026 | Madison, Wis.
This training is limited to 30 participants to ensure a positive learning experience. Participants must attend all 2.5 days.
WHEN: (all times are Central Time)
- Monday, September 14, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 15, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 16, 8:30 a.m.–Noon
LOCATION:
Pyle Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
702 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
Parking information can be found at Parking at the Pyle Center.
LODGING: A block of hotel rooms are available for $159/night at the DoubleTree (525 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53703 USA). The hotel is a 10-15 minute walk (5 ½ blocks) from the Pyle Center. To reserve a room, head to this booking link. The booking deadline is Aug. 29, 2026.
COST: Registration fees are $950/person if you register before 11:59 p.m. on August 7, 2026. The fee is $1,050 of you register after August 7. Use the code EARLY26 to get the early bird discount. Registration will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026. Registrations must be paid in full by August 28. Registration fee includes materials, live instruction and a 2026–2027 International Farm Transition Network membership. There are scholarships available for Wisconsin-based service providers who want to work with Wisconsin farmers on farm succession planning. To apply, fill out the Wisconsin Scholarship Application. Scholarships are limited and will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis.
CANCELLATIONS: A full refund will be issued if you cancel on or before August 7, 2026. A refund, minus a $150 cancellation fee, will be issued if you cancel after August 7 but before August 28, 2026. No refunds will be given after Friday, August 28. Substitutions are welcome at any time, or your registration can be transferred for a future training date. If you receive a promotional discount for the registration for this session, the amount you paid can be credited to a future training date. If the training is cancelled for any reason, your registration fee will be refunded. The meeting organizer is not responsible for the refund of any other costs.
PROGRAM SUPPORT: This September training is being supported in part by the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center USDA/NIFA award number 2025-70028-4537.
November 2026 | Online/Virtual
This virtual version of this training is limited to 20 participants to ensure a positive learning experience. Participants must attend all four virtual days. There will be homework assignments between the live Zoom training days.
WHEN: (all times are Central Time)
- Tuesday, November 3, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Thursday, November 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Tuesday, November 10, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Thursday, November 12, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
COST: Registration fees are $950/person if you register before 11:59pm on September 25, 2026. The fee is $1,000 if you register after September 25. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 16, 2026. Registrations must be paid in full by October 16. Registration includes materials, live virtual instruction, and a 2026-27 International Farm Transition Network membership. Materials will be shipped to participants prior to the first live Zoom session. Organizations that register three or more people can receive a group discount of $50/per person. The group must be registered at the same time and paid for as a group.
CANCELLATIONS: A full refund will be issued if you cancel on or before September 25, 2026. A refund, minus a $150 cancellation fee, will be issued if you cancel after September 25, 2026 but before October 16, 2026. No refunds will be given after Friday, October 26, 2026. Substitutions are welcome at any time or your registration can be transferred for a future training date. If the training is cancelled for any reason, your registration fee will be refunded. The meeting organizer is not responsible for the refund of any other costs.
Future CFSC Training Opportunities
If the available course dates don’t fit into your schedule, and you’d like to be notified when future training opportunities become available, please fill out this interest form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, you’ll find answers to common questions about the Certified Farm Succession Coordinator training. If you have additional questions, please contact us.
Who should attend?
- Ag Industry Professionals
- Accountants
- Attorneys
- Extension Educators
- Farm Coaches
- Financial Advisors
- Lenders
- Mediators
- Tax Professionals
Or anyone who wants to learn how to facilitate conversations around farm/ranch succession planning.
What does certification mean?
Participants who pass the exam can be listed on the IFTN website as a coordinator. Coordinators can use the designation in their bios, email signatures, etc. Certification does not mean you are now trained to teach others to be farm succession coordinators.
How long will my certification stay valid?
Certified coordinators are required to collect 30 continuing education credits or points every three years to keep their certification. While 30 points sound like a lot, it is over a 3-year period and IFTN has developed several professional development opportunities and activities for coordinators to build their points.
Professional Development Opportunities ⇲
- Attend the IFTN annual professional development conference, which provides 10 points. You can get 20 of your points this way over the 3-year period. The conference alternates between in-person and virtual. The 2024 conference is scheduled to be in-person.
- Participate in IFTN-sponsored webinars and receive 1-3 points per webinar (dependent on length). You can get 10 points through IFTN webinars over the 3-year period. Six IFTN webinars are offered each year. Even if you’re not a coordinator you can participate in these webinars. For more information on upcoming webinars go to the IFTN website.
- Document your coordinator’s work with a farm business. Provide an overview of how you worked with the business in your coordinator role, without providing any identifying information. You can receive two points per farm business, with a maximum of 10 points over the 3-year period.
- Non-IFTN-sponsored training may also be considered. The training must be in “the spirit” of the coordinator role. These require IFTN approval. The training information should be provided after attendance and the board will review submissions of this type two times a year. You can receive 1-3 credits each (dependent on length and topics that fit the coordinator role). You can receive a maximum 10 points over the 3-year period via non-IFTN sponsored training.
You do not have to be an IFTN member to retain certification; however, you do receive discounts on webinar registration fees and membership allows you to participate in membership meetings and run for the board.
Contact the program coordinator
Joy Kirkpatrick
Farm Succession Outreach Specialist
University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
608-263-3485
joy.kirkpatrick@wisc.edu
Fill out the interest form below if you’d like to be notified when future training sessions become available.