Father/daughter succession in family farm transfer: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours at Lincoln University

Abstract

The succession process of transferring a family farm from father to son has been well documented and is commonly recognised in New Zealand. The process involving women as successors however has received little attention. Four women of a variety of ages and backgrounds in Canterbury were interviewed along with the parents of one woman. The qualitative method of grounded theory, in a case study format, was used to investigate both the characteristics of daughters as family farm successors, and the female succession process. It was found that women as successors have a unique blend of characteristics, which make the transfer process between father and daughter different from that of a father and son. The women in this study were less concerned with total farm ownership and control than men, they-placed less importance on it than men. The women did not see acquisition of total ownership as being necessary before becoming 'the farmer', neither did they see major changes in management policy as being vital to their status as a farmer. Lack of opportunity is also seen as a major gender difference. The process of generational transfer is further coloured by the women's dual roles in family and farm, and differences in personal priorities. This study investigated the process of generation transfer from a father to his daughter, and how the transition events during this process differed from those of in transfer to a son, as outlined in Keating & Little's (1991) model of farm succession. This study raises a number of issues that need to be further researched if a comprehensive description of female farm succession is to be developed and a multidimensional view of women farmers created.