323 | Farm Forward: Navigating Family Farm Transition Planning with Will McKinley
This episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast re-shares a conversation with Will McKinley, president of Menn Law, about legal realities of family farm transition and succession planning and common mistakes when families wait too long. The discussion focuses on why transition planning stalls, macro delays tied to reluctance to “retire” and the cyclical nature of farming, and micro stalls during multi-meeting planning, plus the value of scheduling, on-farm meetings, and mediation to address misunderstandings, confrontation avoidance, and ownership qualifications. The episode also promotes the Farm Forward Conference on March 27, 2026 at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Newton, Wisconsin, featuring expert training and a transition panel including Will McKinley.
Join us for the Farm Forward Conference
Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI
Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165
00:00 Why Plans Fail
00:25 Farm Forward Conference
01:06 Meet Will McKinley
02:36 Menn Law and Tuig Merger
05:48 Will’s Farm Roots
08:00 Outside Industry Lessons
10:08 Learning from George Tuig
12:35 Why Transitions Stall
18:30 Keeping Momentum
21:35 Case Study Two Brothers
22:33 Breaking the Stalemate
23:34 One on One Mediation
25:39 Assumptions and Avoidance
27:32 Setting Fair Qualifications
29:06 Key Takeaways Recap
31:40 When to Get Help
33:24 Menn Law One Stop Shop
35:55 Listener Questions Invite
36:47 Uplevel Five Questions
40:32 Wrap Up and Contact Info
41:58 Farm Forward Conference
