Importance of the farm remaining in the family
Regardless of their own feelings parents deferred to their children on the issue of retaining the farm within the family. Neither generation would pressure their children even should generational farming be a family goal. It was more important that the children should be happy and that they, the parents, were fair to them all, even if this meant not retaining the farm.
Gender differences
Closer questioning revealed that it was more important for the males that the farm remain in the family and less so for the women, for whom the family (and their happiness) were more important. Women wanted their children to exercise other options before settling into farming.
Keeping the farm
For some families the retention of the farm
could become a conflict between
the pragmatic and the emotional
‘a real head and heart battle’.
Those families for whom retaining the family farm was important argued that farming was crucial as a career option for their children. It was also an important ‘base’ for all members of the family. Generational farming also resulted in the rewards of hardwork in one generation being passed onto the next. For some families the retention of the farm could become a conflict between the pragmatic and the emotional ‘a real head and heart battle’. A minority maintained that their generational farm was more than just important, it was a ‘total commitment’. These were families who would ‘kill to keep it.’
Regardless of equity arrangements or ownership stakes
many non-successor siblings will retain emotional
ownership of the farm throughout their lives.
Retaining the farm was important to members of the family other than the successors. Non-successors could influence decisions regarding the retention of the family farm and they frequently held expectations of the farm continuing to be their home to which they will always belong and to which they can freely return. Regardless of equity arrangements or ownership stakes many non-successor siblings will retain emotional ownership of the farm throughout their lives. The successors were certainly aware that for the non-successors the farm would always be ‘home’ and while they welcomed the return of their siblings they believed that the non-successors did not always appreciate that while being ‘home’ the farm was also ‘the business’. Family ‘roots’ meant that in spite of having their own lives and careers away from the farm, non-successor siblings, and sisters particularly ‘like to come back’ to re-establish their ‘place’ and re-affirm their sense of identity. The influence of the non-successors was obvious as successors noted that the farm was ‘always home for everyone’.
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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