Fact Sheet

This fact sheet was authored by me and produced internally by Ohio State University Extension.  Discussions with farmers, primarily dairy farmers, prompted the idea for this fact sheet.  Farmers and farm families were contacting me to discuss their future in the industry, especially given the depressed milk prices and outlook prices for inputs, including feed, seed, fertilizer, and fuel.  These farms were average or below average size in terms of herd size and faced the difficult decision of exiting a business and way of life they and their families had known for generations.  The purpose of this fact sheet was to help farmers and farm families evaluate their situation with respect to financial position, goals, personal and business assets, and opportunities for life after farming.  Additionally, the fact sheet provides recommendations for making the decision to exit, including advisors to contact, and the general process.  The fact sheet has been distributed at producer meetings, shared in newsletters, and used in one-on-one meetings with farmers and farm families. According to website statistics provided by Ohio State University Extension, this fact sheet has had 166 pageviews and 119 users.  Users have come from the United States, South Africa, Uruguay, and India.  This fact sheet is available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-71.