Generational Continuity of Small Dairy Farms in Southern Idaho: An Exploration of Programs to Help Them Stay in Business

The loss of small-size farms is a critical issue facing farming communities across the United States. The Magic Valley, Idaho, is one of the largest dairy-producing regions in the country, and loss of small dairy farms is occurring rapidly. This topic has local authorities, researchers, and community members searching for solutions to maintain farm size diversity in the region. This review considers programs aimed at assisting farmers with succession, profitability, management, and attracting new entrants to agri-business and uses those examples to create a framework that could be applied in the Magic Valley, Idaho. The results show that programs that utilize resources spanning local extension, state, regional, and national administrative scales are effective, and farm incubation programs and advising and mentorship programs have been highly effective in other agricultural contexts. These results have applicability to dairy farming and transgenerational continuity in the Magic Valley, Idaho and other regions, and could be a significant aid in addressing the loss of small-sized dairy farms.