NDFB Straight Talk hosts Emmery and Alisha visit with Jeff Schafer, a farmer and rancher near New Rockford, N.D. Jeff is a 5th generation farmer who currently works with his children (6th generation) and grandchildren (7th generation!) on the family farm.

Three county Farm Bureaus teamed up to bring Jolene Brown, a farmer and award-winning speaker, to Fessenden, N.D. to talk about succession planning and bridging the gap between the generations.

Jeff was part of the group that brought Jolene to North Dakota. Following her presentation, Jeff sat down to talk about his takeaways and the lessons he's learned as he continues to keep his business thriving through the generations.

We talk with Jeff about:

• What it's like to be a 5th generation farmer working with the 6th and 7th generations
• How to begin the conversation with kids and parents
• Expectations between the generations (ie: "What do you expect from me?", "Here's what I expect from you.")
• How to find the "expert" you can trust to help you take the next step
• Why your farm is worthy of the respect of being treated like a business.

To hear Emmery and Alisha's conversation with Jeff's daughter, Chelsey click here.

To learn more about Jolene Brown, visit here.

Keep an eye out for other events hosted by NDFB at ndfb.org/events

Contact Emmery and Alisha at emmery@ndfb.org