In this episode, Elaine sits down with Dr. Kate Burke for a thoughtful and deeply practical conversation about what it really takes to plan well for the future of your farm.

Because succession isn't just about land, shares, or strategy, it's about people.

Together, they explore why strong farm transitions begin with understanding your family first. What does each person want? What are they afraid of? What expectations are sitting quietly under the surface?

Dr. Burke brings insight from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help families communicate with more clarity and emotional steadiness, especially when conversations feel hard.

You'll hear about:

• Why succession planning must start with family, not just farm assets
• The emotional identity shift from leader to mentor to elder
• How our thinking patterns influence decisions more than we realize
• Questions that uncover purpose, expectations, and long-term vision
• Why trust and ownership are built through small, clear actions
• Planning for long-term care and end-of-life decisions with courage
• Simple frameworks like CARE that bring structure without overcomplicating things

"As humans, we're emotional. It's a signal. It's data. We've been led down a path since industrialization that to be good at business, emotions didn't matter. But really good businesses are emotionally intelligent. They may not know it, but they're actually good at dealing with people, good at understanding and managing themselves." - Kate Burke, Think Agri

This conversation is a reminder that you don't need a complicated strategy to future-proof your farm. You need clarity, emotional honesty, and the willingness to ask the right questions.

If you care about your family and your legacy, this episode will give you practical tools and a deeper understanding of what truly holds a farm together.

Resources Mentioned During This Episode

• Succession Future Proofing Your Farm (Available on Kate's website)
• Crops, People, Money and You – The Art of Excellent Farming (Search: "Crops People Money and You" Kate Burke)
• Think Agri YouTube Channel
• Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)

About Our Guest

Dr Kate Burke is an Australian Agri Strategist, author and speaker. Drawing on three decades in agronomy, consulting, and family business facilitation, Kate blends practical business thinking with an understanding of the people behind it. She guides families past the numbers and documents to tackle what really shapes farm strategy and succession: questions of identity, fairness, readiness, communication, and intergenerational trust.

• Contact Kate
• Visit the Think Agri Website
• Follow Kate on LinkedIn
• Follow Think Agri on X
• Follow Kate and Think Agri on Facebook

Elaine Froese Resources:

• Watch this episode on YouTube.
• Visit the podcast website
• SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event
• COACHING - explore Farm Transition Coaching
• MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Transition Member
• FREE STUFF - downloadable tools for your farm transition
• CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition
• BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here

Farm Family Coach Social Media Links

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• X
• YouTube
• TikTok

Timestamps

00:30 - Welcome and episode overview: why family and emotional clarity matter 02:36 - Start with family, not farm: the importance of family-focused planning 06:44 - Introduction to ACT therapy in farm succession: acceptance and values-based actions 09:16 - Valuing emotional wealth: key questions to start meaningful conversations 13:56 - Understanding the mentor-to-elder transition: identity and self-worth issues 17:04 - Building trust and emotional steadiness in future farm leaders 18:23 - Shift from fixing problems to guiding towards desired futures: towards and away moves 19:45 - Overcoming resistance: moving from defense to offense in farm planning 20:37 - The role of financial clarity and emotional expectations in weaving a successful succession 25:31 - How to discover good perspectives: asking "What do you want and why?" 27:02 - Attachment to land and legacy: crucial but often overlooked considerations 29:33 - Function and family harmony: aligning team and family objectives 32:10 - The performance framework: managing farm viability and productivity 35:14 - Strategy essentials: simple actions over complex plans 37:01 - Ownership and its emotional significance in farm legacy 40:17 - Planning for retirement, aging, and legacy: tough questions and long-term care 46:16 - Summing up: combining profitability with family care for a balanced farm future