Kieran Coughlan: What to do with the farm if no one is interested in taking it over

Where a successor is not interested in farming, the opportunity cost of retaining ownership of the farm should in the cold light of day be put up for comparison against other options

Farmers with a natural successor are blessed to be spared at least some of the turmoil of making monumental decisions.

Some of the toughest decisions farmers must make are not in the field, or in the sheds but rather in the head when faced with the dilemma of deciding when to transfer the farm or to whom the farm is to be transferred. 

Farmers with a natural successor are blessed to be spared at least some of the turmoil of making monumental decisions but, of course, must also face the question of when is the right time to transfer the family farm? It goes without saying, but each farmer's circumstances are unique. However, there are some common underlying themes when it comes to all transfers.