13. The process of inheritance in the family farm for the agricultural cooperative sustainability

The inheritance and the continuity of agribusiness and the possibilities for their planning are extremely topical and increasingly significant issues, both among the scientific community and in practice. The intergenerational transition in the family farm is the most critical phase of the agricultural cooperatives’ life cycle. The planning continuity should be seen as a process, not as a one-time action or event. The aim of the study is to analyze the processes of inheritance and continuity in the family farm management for the sustainability of the modern agricultural cooperative. The analysis is based on empirical evidence – case studies of family farms and agricultural cooperatives operating on the territory of Bulgaria. The constant pressure from the dynamic market environment and the stark competition reflect on the activity of modern agricultural cooperatives. This leads to the co-operation of family farms in new organizational structures and management models, and then the degree of involvement of the heirs in them is an additional factor for their sustainability increasing.