For the right person or family, my property was capable of building equity and providing a modest living, and I wanted someone careful, but not afraid to pursue new ideas. There may have been some luck involved, but I've outlined the things that aided in my success.

The first task was to convince myself to retire. Not a fence sitter decision, but a decisive one. Then I put feelers out everywhere, letting people know that I was looking for someone to take over. Advertising a little, I told about the great perks, but left off the part about how the pay sucked. At least at first. One thing that may have helped me find someone was the operation wasn't overly equity intensive. A couple hundred grand in cattle, 30 grand in equipment and, after a conservation easement, a half-million in property. The property could be leased until the equity was accumulated to get the loan to buy it.

Of the interested people, a few were serious, and I decided on a neighboring woman, Jessica Kruse. Kruse had already started a small grass-fed beef side operation as part of her family's small cow-calf and grain operation. She had some experience, a similar direction as mine, and most of all, a really positive, open-minded and realistic outlook. Also, she seemed willing to live frugally and work at building equity for a while.

I was upfront about how soon I would be willing to move over, and we both had and asked a lot of questions, letting each other know what commitments we were willing to make. No snap decisions, but no stringing each other along either.

Probably the one thing that hangs up most non-family transitions today is land values. It may be an issue even within families. What I wanted more than money was to see the land treated well, and also have it make a living for the next generation. I didn't want to give it away, but was willing to make the terms so the next operator would be likely to succeed. What really helped the ecological ethic was selling a conservation easement, which for those of us without a wad of money, allowed some money for retirement projects.

For the prospective grazier looking for land, you might look to see who has put land in conservation easements. The rent or purchase price could be a lot lower, but for most, if not all, the production potential is still there. The same mind-set that puts a conservation easement on land will likely be willing to lease it for much less to someone looking to operate it in an ecological fashion.

Having some money for retirement projects makes it easier for me to try to help get the next operator going. I gave her the security of a five-year lease, at a rate I felt should allow her to build equity. Equity can provide collateral, and with collateral she can get the type of loan needed to buy the land someday. I want Kruse to have a chance at owning land, the same opportunity I would have wanted if I were in her position.

I went so far as to write the contract so that most of the rent will be applied to the purchase price, which makes it more likely that they will buy it down the road. If I should die and my heirs' auction the land off at the end of five years, Kruse or her family will have some credit toward the winning bid. This gives her incentive to invest in long-term projects.

Conventional operations that are successful often get a leg up to get past the initial years, and it has been shown that conservation-oriented operations can stand on their own, but benefit from the same help. So if we landowners find a new operator willing to put in the long hours and hard work, we should help them get through the early years’ pitfalls and let the world see less exploitative farms as financially viable.  FG

Cliff Millsapps raised grass-fed beef near Gary, South Dakota, and sold in local markets in eastern South Dakota.

—Excerpts from South Dakota Grassland Coalition Grassroots newsletter, July 2015