America needs more young farmers

Did you know that less than 10 percent of American farmers are under the age of 35? America needs more young farm operators, but they need help. Here are the factors involved.

Older farmers are retiring
The average American farmer is 58 years old, which means that a large number of them will be retiring in the next few years. Currently, there aren’t enough young farmers to pick up the slack. In fact, while the proportion of young farmers is climbing, they’re still outnumbered by farmers over the age of 65 by six to one.

Without an influx of new agricultural workers, American consumers may end up having to rely on imported food more than before.

Farming practices are changing
Another reason young farmers are needed is that they bring a new perspective to agriculture. For the American agricultural industry to succeed in reliably providing food for the country’s growing population, it needs to adopt more sustainable, efficient and eco-friendly farming practices. Millennial farmers are better positioned to implement green farming technologies than their predecessors.

Young farmers face barriers
Unfortunately, while many millennials are ready to take up farming, few are able to afford land. Even those who inherit farms often lack the financial resources to operate them. The result is that farmland is being sold for commercial and residential development, further restricting access to it.

This could be a problem in the long term, as the demand for food is growing, both worldwide and in the United States.

More states are recognizing the crucial importance of ensuring the future of the agricultural industry. As a result, loan forgiveness programs and grants are increasingly available to prospective farmers, but more work needs to be done to safeguard America’s agricultural future.