ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOPS WITH JERRY COSGROVE of the AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST

Jerry Cosgrove speaking at the Herlong.

The Conservation Trust for Florida is hosting two estate-planning workshops with Jerry Cosgrove of the American Farmland Trust. The Saturday, February 26th workshop will focus on both the substance (what) and the process (how) of estate planning issues for farmers and other rural landowners. The workshop is geared towards staff and Board members of land trusts; personnel of government agencies; and professionals.

A second workshop geared toward landowners will be held on Sunday, February 27th and will focus on the economic benefits of conservation easements and ways to reduce property, federal income, and estate taxes. Additional topics covered at the workshop include life estates, charitable remainder trusts, and business organization strategies. Please feel free to invite anyone who may be interested to either workshop.

TRAINING WORKSHOP - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26th 12 - 5 PM

At the UF/REITZ UNION - rooms B74/B75

Box lunch served, $25 fee for workshop/lunch. Ron Howard from the Natural Resource Conservation Service will present information during lunch about state and federal land conservation and stewardship programs. Copies of the AFT book Your Land is Your Legacy, A Guide to Planning the Future of Your Farm, will be offered for sale at $8 each. Pay CTF in advance or at the door.

LANDOWNER WORKSHOP - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27th 12 - 4 PM

At the HERLONG MANSION B&B IN MICANOPY

Ron Howard from the Natural Resource Conservation Service will present information during lunch about state and federal land conservation and stewardship programs. FREE WORKSHOP, BBQ LUNCH AND COPIES OF THE BOOK Your Land is Your Legacy, A Guide to Planning the Future of Your Farm provided.

The workshop series is part of The Farmlands Project, an educational and outreach project initiated by the Conservation Trust for Florida to address the high conversion rate of working rural lands to urban uses. In 2003, according to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida's 44,000 farmers and ranchers contributed $62 billion to the state's economy and provided approximately 648,550 jobs. However, the state loses more than 150,000 acres of rural land to urban development every year. The goal of The Farmlands Project is to slow this trend. By providing landowners with information about methods to protect their farm and ranch lands and in some instances receive a cash payment for protecting their land, there is a better chance of maintaining family lands and passing them on to future generations. The financial assistance, estate tax savings, and/or possibly a reduction in property taxes will help sustain Florida's farm and ranch families.

The American Farmland Trust approaches estate planning with two goals in mind: "To help farmers and ranchers find the best way to transfer their operations to other farmers and ranchers; and to keep productive land in agriculture."

The Alachua Conservation Trust is partnering with the Conservation Trust for Florida on the workshop series and Saturday's workshop is being held in conjunction with the Public Interest Environmental Conference, hosted by the UF Law School. For more information on the conference: 352-392-2237 or visit http://grove.ufl.edu/~els/

Please call 352-466-1178 or send e-mail to if you have any questions or would like to register for the workshop. Please register by Thursday, February 24th.

Directions to the Herlong: From I-75 go east on CR 234 for about 1 mile until it ends at U.S. Hwy 441. Go south on 441 and turn right at the flashing light in Micanopy. Go four blocks. The Herlong Mansion is located on the right hand side.

Directions to the Reitz: Take 13th Street south; turn west onto Museum Road on the UF campus. Go through two traffic lights. The Reitz will be on the right hand side.