Reframing Rural's New Podcast Explores Family Farm Succession

The fourth season of the award-winning documentary podcast provides an intimate look into the challenges of passing down family farms and ranches.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The new season of the Reframing Rural podcast, titled "Succession Stories", features personal stories from five Montana farm and ranch families as they navigate the complex process of transferring their operations to the next generation. Created in collaboration with the nonprofit Winnett ACES, the season aims to encourage more farm and ranch families to create succession plans and educate the public on the challenges facing family agriculture today.

Why it matters

With an estimated one-third of all farmland in the lower 48 states expected to change hands in the next 20 years, successful farm and ranch succession is crucial for preserving family-owned agriculture and the rural communities they support. The podcast seeks to destigmatize discussions around succession planning and provide a platform for families to share their personal experiences.

The details

The "Succession Stories" season features five Montana farm and ranch families, including Howie Hammond and his daughter Andrea Lien from Malta, Gene Curry of the Montana Stockgrowers Association who ranches in Valier, the Bruski family of Ekalaka, the Fritz family of Chester, and Sig Pugrud, a rancher and county commissioner from Winnett. The podcast will also release a bonus episode with succession planning experts to provide resources for families looking to start the process.

  • Reframing Rural launched the "Succession Stories" season in the fall of 2026.
  • The bonus episode featuring succession planning experts will be released in December 2026.

The players

Reframing Rural

An award-winning documentary podcast that shares stories of rural people and places, with a mission to celebrate culture, preserve history, and cultivate curiosity and conversation.

Winnett ACES

A grassroots-led nonprofit addressing rural vitality issues that affect agricultural communities in central Montana, with a mission to strengthen their community by enhancing the health of their land, economy and traditions for future generations.

Megan Torgerson

The founder, host and producer of Reframing Rural, who grew up on her family's farm and ranch near Dagmar, Montana.

Gene Curry

The past president of Montana Stockgrowers Association and current chairman for the Montana Department of Livestock, who ranches in Valier.

Laura Nowlin

The executive director of Winnett ACES.

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What they’re saying

“Without a transition plan, there's just no way that a farm or ranch can stay in a family, and that would be a devastating loss.”

— Gene Curry (Reframing Rural)

“At the end of the day what Winnett ACES is trying to do is keep family ranching on the land. Successful succession is the key to keeping families in agriculture. Succession planning is not only important for each individual ranch and its own future, but also the rural community it's a part of.”

— Laura Nowlin, Executive Director, Winnett ACES (Reframing Rural)

What’s next

The podcast will release a bonus episode in December 2026 featuring a panel of succession planning experts to provide resources for farm and ranch families.

The takeaway

As family-owned farms and ranches face an uncertain future with an aging farmer demographic and rising costs, the "Succession Stories" podcast aims to destigmatize discussions around farm and ranch succession planning and inspire more families to take steps to preserve their agricultural legacies for future generations.