A Web site was developed to help farm families learn about communication strategies that can be used when there are sensitive issues relating to farm transfer. The site, Who Will Get Grandpa\u27s Farm? Communicating about Farm Transfer, features six scenes filmed on a farm near Delphi, Indiana. The family members in the scenes include a farmer and his spouse, father, son, and a brother. Each conversation between family members shows examples of direct control, indirect control, and no control. An interactive quiz helps users distinguish between the three communication strategies

DeVaney, Sharon A

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The Journal of Extension Volume 42 Number 4 Article 28 8-1-2004 A Web Site to Help Farm Families Communicate About Farm Transfer Sharon A. DeVaney Purdue University, sdevaney@cfs.purdue.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation DeVaney, S. A. (2004). A Web Site to Help Farm Families Communicate About Farm Transfer. The Journal of Extension, 42(4), Article 28. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol42/iss4/28 This Tools of the Trade is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesAugust	2004	//	Volume	42	//	Number	4	//	Tools	of	the	Trade	//	4TOT50A	Web	Site	to	Help	Farm	Families	Communicate	About	FarmTransferAbstractA	Web	site	was	developed	to	help	farm	families	learn	about	communication	strategies	that	canbe	used	when	there	are	sensitive	issues	relating	to	farm	transfer.	The	site,	Who	Will	GetGrandpa's	Farm?	Communicating	about	Farm	Transfer,	features	six	scenes	filmed	on	a	farmnear	Delphi,	Indiana.	The	family	members	in	the	scenes	include	a	farmer	and	his	spouse,	father,son,	and	a	brother.	Each	conversation	between	family	members	shows	examples	of	directcontrol,	indirect	control,	and	no	control.	An	interactive	quiz	helps	users	distinguish	between	thethree	communication	strategies.	IntroductionAfter	conducting	interviews	with	40	farm	families	about	retirement	and	succession	planning(DeVaney,	2002),	I	concluded	that	some	families	have	difficulty	discussing	farm	transfer.	Somefarmers	could	not	talk	to	their	fathers	about	slowing	down	as	they	grew	older.	Some	older	farmerswere	anxious	about	losing	authority	if	they	began	the	transfer	process.	Other	sensitive	issues	werethe	choice	of	a	successor	and	dividing	assets	among	siblings.	Many	of	these	issues	have	beenmentioned	in	previous	studies	(Anderson	&	Rosenblatt,	1985;	Marotz-Baden,	Keating,	&	Munro,1995).The	Farm	Transfer	ProcessAttorneys	who	specialize	in	farm	transfer	stated	that	the	first	step	for	the	farmer	was	to	decidethat	he	was	ready	"to	let	go"	(DeVaney,	2002).	The	next	step	was	deciding	on	a	successor.	Afterfarmers	make	those	decisions,	they	need	to	create	a	flow	of	income	for	themselves	and	decidehow	to	divide	assets.	The	attorneys	said	that	it	was	important	to	help	the	retiring	farmerunderstand	how	his	estate	planning	actions	would	affect	the	remaining	family	members.	Attorneysalso	talked	about	the	need	for	the	farmer	to	make	estate	plans	while	he	or	she	was	in	good	healthand	had	enough	time	to	allow	for	a	transfer	of	property.Many	of	the	sensitive	issues	in	farm	transfer	involved	situations	where	a	son	wanted	to	take	careof	his	father,	but	the	father	wanted	to	remain	independent.	In	a	situation	like	this,	communicationstrategies	using	varying	levels	of	control	are	helpful	(Morgan	&	Hummert,	2000).	For	instance,older	adults	in	their	parental	role	have	traditionally	been	on	the	giving	end	of	direct	controlmessages.	At	the	same	time,	middle-aged	adults	must	constantly	reevaluate	their	level	of	directionas	they	negotiate	the	changing	levels	of	dependence	and	independence	of	their	aging	parents	andtheir	maturing	children.Web	Site	ContentTypes	of	Communication	StrategiesSharon	A.	DeVaneyAssociate	ProfessorDepartment	of	Consumer	Sciences	and	RetailingPurdue	UniversityWest	Lafayette,	Indianasdevaney@cfs.purdue.eduTo	help	families	deal	with	sensitive	issues	about	farm	transfer,	I	developed	a	Web	site,	Who	WillGet	Grandpa's	Farm	<http://www2.ces.purdue.edu/farmtransfer>,	about	communicationstrategies.	The	setting	for	the	Web	site	is	a	farm	near	Delphi,	Indiana.	The	communicationstrategies	are:	direct	control,	indirect	control,	and	no	control	(Ryan,	Bourhis,	&	Knops,	1991).	Whenthe	person	who	is	speaking	uses	direct	control,	he	is	demonstrating	that	he	wants	to	take	controlof	the	situation.	Using	indirect	control	shows	that	the	speaker	is	flexible	and	will	share	the	decisionmaking.	Using	the	third	strategy,	no	control,	shows	that	the	speaker	is	talking	about	the	subjectbut	that	he	is	not	attempting	to	control	the	situation.Here	are	some	examples	from	the	Web	site.	In	the	first	scene,	the	farmer	is	speaking	to	his	father.Using	direct	control,	he	said,	"It	is	time	for	me	to	take	charge	of	the	planning."	In	another	versionof	that	scene,	the	farmer	uses	indirect	control,	saying,	"I	want	you	to	feel	comfortable	with	easingup	on	the	farm	work."	In	the	third	version	of	that	scene,	the	farmer	displays	no	control	when	hesays,	"I	am	thinking	about	planting	next	year.	Do	you	have	any	new	ideas?"Research	has	shown	that	indirect	control	is	usually	the	preferred	strategy	(Morgan	&	Hummert,2000).	However,	in	a	situation	where	life	is	threatened,	such	as	driving	when	vision	or	hearing	isimpaired,	direct	control	could	be	the	preferred	strategy.Conversations	Between	Family	MembersThe	Web	site	includes	six	scenes	where	family	members	talk	about	issues	related	to	farm	transfer.The	farmer	talks	to	his	father,	spouse,	son,	and	a	brother.	In	each	scene,	the	dialogue	includes	thethree	types	of	control	strategies.	The	Web	site	provides	the	scenes	as	text	that	can	be	read	or	asvideo	clips.	After	users	view	the	scenes,	there	is	an	interactive	quiz	to	help	users	distinguishbetween	direct	control,	indirect	control,	and	no	control.Influence	of	Attitude,	Preparation,	Timing,	and	BehaviorUsers	are	also	introduced	to	the	influence	of	attitude,	preparation,	timing,	and	behavior	on	thecommunication	between	family	members.	For	example,	the	farmer	is	advised	to	think	about	hisbrother's	feelings	when	he	talks	to	him	about	farm	transfer.	Although	the	brother,	who	lives	off	thefarm,	may	have	been	uninterested	in	the	operation	of	the	farm,	he	may	be	more	willing	to	help	hison-farm	brother	talk	to	the	parents	when	he	realizes	that	his	parents	won't	live	forever.The	site	is	available	at	<http://www2.ces.purdue.edu/farmtransfer>.	It's	free,	and	no	password	isneeded.	The	National	Endowment	for	Financial	Education	(NEFE)	provided	funding	to	develop	thesite,	and	USDA-CSREES	helped	fund	the	interviews	with	farm	families	that	provided	information	forthe	site's	development.	The	site	has	also	been	included	on	the	CSREES	Financial	Security	in	LaterLife	Web	site	<http://www.reeusda.gov/financialsecurity>	as	a	resource	for	consumers	andeducators.ReferencesAnderson,	R.	M.,	&	Rosenblatt,	P.	C.	(1985).	Intergenerational	transfer	of	farm	land.	Journal	of	RuralCommunity	Psychology,	6(1),	19-25.DeVaney,	S.	A.	(2002).	Who	gets	grandpa's	farm?	Considering	farm	succession	planning.	SmallFarms	Digest,	5(2),	1-4.Marotz-Baden,	R.,	Keating,	N.	C.,	&	Munro,	B.	(1995).	Generational	differences	in	the	meaning	ofretirement	from	farming.	Family	and	Consumer	Sciences	Research	Journal,	24(1),	29-46.Morgan,	M.,	&	Hummert,	M.	L.	(2000).	Perceptions	of	communicative	control	strategies	in	mother-daughter	dyads	across	the	life	span.	Journal	of	Communication,	Summer,	48-64.Ryan,	E.	B.,	Bourhis,	R.	Y.,	&	Knops,	U.	(1991).	Evaluative	perceptions	of	patronizing	speechaddressed	to	elders.	Psychology	and	Aging,	6,	442-450.Copyright	©	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Articles	appearing	in	the	Journal	become	the	property	of	theJournal.	 Single	 copies	 of	 articles	may	 be	 reproduced	 in	 electronic	 or	 print	 form	 for	 use	 in	 educational	 or	 trainingactivities.	Inclusion	of	articles	in	other	publications,	electronic	sources,	or	systematic	large-scale	distribution	may	bedone	only	with	prior	electronic	or	written	permission	of	the	Journal	Editorial	Office,	joe-ed@joe.org.If	you	have	difficulties	viewing	or	printing	this	page,	please	contact	JOE	Technical	Support©	Copyright	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Copyright	Policy

A Web Site to Help Farm Families Communicate About Farm Transfer

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A Web Site to Help Farm Families Communicate About Farm Transfer

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