Family, Money, and Land…The Pretty Ugly Side Land Management and Estate Planning
Description: In many cases small, minority landowners have not received any cost-share and/or technical assistance nor do they possess a clear title to the land. To assist with these concerns, the Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Cooperative Extension Program in collaboration with federal and state agencies developed the Landowner Initiative for Forestry Education Program (LIFE). Estate planning can be expensive and a scary process without the proper tools to make enlightened decisions. A primary objective of the LIFE project was to increase communications and outreach to minority and underserved forest landowners on current management and protection strategies as well as estate planning information. Participants will (1) gain knowledge about current wildlife and estate planning practices; (2) discover ways to involve USDA agencies, family members and the legal community in the development of land management and estate plans; and (3) learn more about the LIFE program and the services provided.
Securing The Land For Agricultural And Community Development: Addressing Heir Property As An Asset Building Strategy
Description: Heir property causes land loss among African American farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners and constrains wealth creation within African American communities of the South. This project will compare four African American New Deal Resettlement Communities established to provide farmland, and four neighboring communities, to examine the impact of heir property on asset building, cultural continuity, and community development. The project will identify strategies to address heir property, use research findings to develop Extension and outreach publications and programs to serve heir property owners and communities, and establish a course taught jointly at Tuskegee and Auburn Universities.
Land to Legacy: Sustain Your Farm & Your Legacy