Join us for the International Succession Symposium on 28 January 2026, hosted by Michael Mack, Chair of the Succession Alliance. This global conversation will bring together practitioners, researchers and on-farm voices from the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand to explore the realities of succession planning in farming today. With contributions from John Baker (Iowa), Matt Lobley (University of Exeter, UK), Shane Conway (Atlantic Technological University, Ireland), and Andrew Lawson (University of New England, Australia), the symposium will use pre-submitted questions to guide a truly international discussion on the challenges, patterns and emerging themes shaping how families plan for the future of their farms.
Succession planning on family farms is one of the most complex—and emotionally charged—topics in agriculture. Around the world, families are grappling with rising costs, policy changes, shifting expectations, inter-generational fairness, and the pressure to balance heritage with economic survival.
The International Succession Symposium aims to bring together global experts, practitioners and farming voices to explore how these issues are evolving across continents. This event is designed not as a lecture, but as a shared conversation: a chance for farmers, advisers and academics from the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America to compare experiences and learn from one another.
The symposium will feature short presentations and reflections from leading voices in agricultural succession:
The session will be chaired by Michael Mack, Chair of the Succession Alliance (UK).
Participants are asked to submit a question when booking. These questions will be collated, grouped and reviewed by the panel. During the event, the panellists will select several key questions that reflect shared challenges across countries and cultures. These may include themes such as:
The goal is not to arrive at a single answer, but to deepen our collective understanding of how succession is changing, and to highlight what support, education and policy shifts might be needed worldwide.