Passing the Torch: Transition Planning Workshop (East Earl)

Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Shady Maple Smorgasbord
Address:
129 Toddy Drive
East Earl, PA 17519

Event Host:
Penn State Extension and Center for Dairy Excellence

It’s never too early or too late to start thinking about “passing the torch” and finding someone in line to transition ownership of your dairy business. You and your family are invited to the “Passing the Torch” Transition Planning Workshop series this fall. Hosted by Penn State Extension and the Center for Dairy Excellence, workshops will be held on November 18 and 20, 2025. The workshops include lunch and one-on-one, interactive family roundtable discussions led by outside advisors.

Register Today
Why should you or your family attend? Maybe your kids are only in high school or college, and you’re not ready to pass the torch quite yet. Remember, it can take years to successfully transition your business, so having one-on-one conversations now can help down the road when you’re ready to begin the process. Maybe you don’t have a family member interested in taking over your dairy enterprise. Remember, the “torch” can go to anyone and there are other options to consider when planning your transition. Maybe you’re just starting to think about retirement, or maybe you’re nearing retirement and haven’t thought about your succession plan at all. It’s not too late. No matter what stage you’re in, these interactive workshops will get everyone around the table for one-on-one coaching with facilitators, legal experts, accountants and more.

Several dairy farm families shared their thoughts after attending previous workshops in the series:

“Thank you for giving us a platform and context to start very difficult conversations. Very helpful – even just to begin a starting point.”

“This workshop was great! It gave us an idea of what we need to do next.”

“I learned farm transition planning is critical to the success of the next generation to be successful. They don’t just happen without forethought and planning.”

Dates and Locations:
November 18 from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm – Shady Maple Smorgasbord (129 Toddy Dr, East Earl, PA 17519)
November 20, 2025 from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm – Toftrees Golf Resort (1 Country Club Lane, State College, PA 16803)
Click here to register today.
Workshop Focus Areas:
Learn about the overall transition process and key communication tips
Learn about the retirement planning process
Learn about the legal transition process
Learn about the accounting transition process
Participate in one-on-one, interactive family roundtable discussions that are led by outside advisors to keep the process moving in a productive way.
Walk away with a workbook and tangible next steps for taking action.
Cost:
Registration is $25 total for TWO family members to attend and $5 for each additional family member. Your entire family is encouraged to attend. Space is limited!

Sessions and Speakers:

“How Do We Begin?” with Dr. Charlie Gardner
Dr. Gardner grew up in southern New Jersey and worked on his uncle’s dairy farm. He attended the College of Agriculture at Cornell from 1967 –1969, then transferred to Veterinary College, and graduated from Veterinary School in 1973. He then joined the Ackermanville Veterinary Hospital, doing mainly dairy cattle practice. He stayed there until 1989, when he started Dairy Management Consultants, a practice specializing in dairy herd management. Dr. Gardner became board certified as a specialist in dairy practice in 1993, and received an MBA from Moravian College in May of 1999. He joined Agway in 1999, and was director of the Agway TSPF Heifer Program. In March of 2004 he joined Cargill Animal Nutrition, and worked with producers to improve animal and financial performance. He retired from Cargill in December of 2014, and has since worked part time as a farm consultant with the Center for Dairy Excellence.

“Financial Considerations for Farm Transition” with Dr. Brian Reed
Brian Reed DVM, MBA has spent the last 36 years working with dairy farmers as a veterinarian. Since receiving his MBA degree in 2001, he has also been a dairy business consultant, assisting dairy families with strategic planning, profitability analysis and farm transition planning. Dr. Reed also currently utilizes Center for Dairy Excellence resources to assist farm families going through the farm transition process.

“Retirement Planning: What to Think About” with Samantha Gehrett and Paula Ledney
Samantha Gehrett is a Dairy Business Management Educator with Penn State Extension and is housed in Carlisle, PA. Her primary focus is to help dairy producers determine cost of production and develop farm business plans that help farms reach long-term goals and objectives. She brings experience in Accounting, Taxation, and Dairy Processing. This work is accomplished through on-farm visits, workshops and conferences and the development of tools and resources for producers and consultants.

Paula Ledney is an Extension Program Specialist in Penn State’s Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, where she focuses on enterprise budgeting and production education through the Ag Alternatives publication series. She also provides business management education on topics such as retirement planning, farm transition, federal taxation, and financial literacy. She holds an M.B.A. through Penn State’s Black School of Business and is also a Certified Farm Transition Coordinator with the International Farm Transition Network.

“Legal Considerations for the Farm Transition Process” with Jennifer Wetzel
Jennifer Denchak Wetzel, an advocate dedicated to serving Pennsylvania’s farm and agri-business community, has spent the past fifteen years providing legal counsel to various agricultural businesses across the state. Her knowledge spans a wide spectrum of legal issues, with a focus on business succession planning, real estate, and asset preservation within the agricultural law framework. She received the Best Lawyer accolade for real estate for 2024. Jennifer is recognized for her profound understanding of agricultural matters and has shared her insights through presentations for esteemed organizations such as the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pennsylvania Farm Link, and Pennsylvania Bankers Association. Her commitment to the agricultural sector extends to her role as a Succession Coordinator for the International Farm Transition Network and the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence.

“Accounting for Everyone: The Accounting Transition Process” with Tracy Garofalo
Tracy Garofalo has been serving the needs of farmers and small businesses for almost 20 years in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. Tracy discovered her attention to detail and her natural accounting skills when she had her first accounting class in high school. Tracy went on to receive her BSBA and MBA from Shippensburg University, both of which majoring in Accounting. She spent five years as Controller of a private company specializing in professional fundraising for churches and non-profit organizations. She joined MSC Business Services in July 2005, where she earned the “Eagle” award for being the highest scoring staff person showing excellence in both her work ethics and ability to service clients. Over the course of 18 years, she held various positions within the company including Senior Account Supervisor and Regional Manager. In 2013, she passed and became an Enrolled Agent, which is the highest credential the Internal Revenue Service offers. In May of 2022, Tracy left MSC Business Services and opened her own accounting practice, Top Notch Accounting, Inc. where she is the President of the company.