I still remember a night, years ago, in the dead of a Minnesota winter, when the wind was pushing snow sideways and visibility was about a foot past the front of my hood. I'd been on the road too long already, but I wanted to get home. So I did what a lot of us do: I lowered my head, gripped the wheel, slipped the truck into 4x4 and tried to bust through the snow drifts stacking up across the road.
I couldn't see well, but I kept plowing ahead, thinking that if I just pushed hard enough, I'd get through this rough patch of road. And for a little while, I did. Snow flying over the hood, tires spinning, engine RPMs in the red – it felt like I was winning. Until I wasn't. Eventually, I hit a drift that was too deep, too heavy, too much. The truck slid sideways, the wheels spun, and I was good and stuck. In fact, the stop was so abrupt I thought I had run into something on the road. It didn't matter how determined I was – I had ignored the barrier of snow and I was stuck.
That moment came back to me recently during a conversation with a dairy family about succession planning. They were trying to push ahead through the uncomfortable parts, the people parts, hoping sheer effort and more attorneys would get them to the finish line. But just like that winter night, if we ignore the barriers in front of us and keep powering ahead without recognizing what's actually blocking the path, we don't get farther. We get stuck. Succession planning works the same way.
Most dairy families don't avoid succession planning because they don't care about the future, the legacy. Quite the opposite – they care deeply. The problem is that caring also means the stakes feel high and the weight of past generations lies on their shoulders. When the future of the farm intersects with family history, emotions, identity and legacy, nearly every conversation can feel like walking through heavy snow.
Many people think succession planning hinges on finding the right attorney or accountant. Yes, those individuals bring an important piece to the mix. But succession planning is really people planning, and people bring motivations, fears, assumptions, habits and histories to the table. Recognizing those barriers early – and understanding the concerns behind them – can turn a stuck process into real momentum. Below are five common barriers dairy families face.
- Motivation barriers: When the senior generation avoids the topic. Pat (senior generation) has built the farm over 40 years. It's not just a business – it's identity. When the topic of transition comes up, Pat pivots to herd health, feed costs or weather. The avoidance isn't about indifference. It's often about fear – loss of control, fear of conflict within the family or fear of the unknown and not being able to control the outcome once the process starts. Starting succession planning also acknowledges that the path ahead is shorter than the one behind, and that's just uncomfortable to think about.
- Relationship barriers: When keeping the peace becomes a roadblock. Taylor (spouse) is the family glue and worries that talking succession might upset family harmony. Harmony is important, but avoiding planning creates long‑term risks, including unclear expectations, missed windows and rising frustration. Not wanting to rock the boat or keeping the appearance of surface-level peace builds resentment over time. It's hard to have complex discussions around succession planning if people aren't in a good place with their day-to-day relationships.
- Environmental barriers: Time and seasons. The topic of succession planning is sporadically addressed. It's worked on after the crop is out of the fields but before Christmas. Then taxes and spring planning take over and little happens until the following December. By then, most have forgotten what was discussed, and it's hard to get back on track. Momentum is lost each year, and it's harder each year to get back on track.
- Cognitive barriers: When the younger generation feels overwhelmed. Luke (younger generation) is capable but tunes out when conversations get technical, such as ownership structures, tax issues, etc. It's not apathy; it's overload. It's easier and more fun to get the new tractor set up than sit in meetings or work a spreadsheet.
- Historical norms: When 'We've always done it this way' slows progress. Sam (longtime employee) has done things the same way for decades and resists new systems or leadership changes. He doesn't really want to be led by someone young enough to be his kid. He's not being difficult; he's protecting the stability of his work and the respect for the senior generation.
Behind every barrier is a concern that deserves understanding before plowing ahead. Avoidance hides fear, resistance hides loss of identity, overwhelm hides unfamiliarity, and pushback hides feeling unheard. Each person has a different mix of these concerns.
Succession planning succeeds when families can identify and understand these human factors and don't plow ahead until they can move forward together.
Practical steps: Start out with discussions and just name the barriers without blaming the person. Hold consistent, structured planning sessions even during the season. Simplify steps and take small bites. When concerns are raised, stop and listen deeply and try to understand others' point of view. Finally, find agreement on the "why" before the "how." The "how" are wills, trusts and taxes. The "why" are those deeper barriers but also the concerns underlying everything we want for our farms, families and legacies.
Final thought: That winter night taught me that pushing blindly into a barrier doesn't get you home – it gets you stuck. Succession planning is no different. Slow down. Sometimes going fast doesn't end well. Identify the drifts and choose your path for steady progress, not speed. If you can name the barrier, you can address the concern and move your farm legacy onto the shoulders of the next generation.
