One Saturday in 2017, at the Department of Animal Sciences Beef Cattle Conference in Auburn, Alabama, Dr. Dave Daley, from California, spoke to a group of cattlemen about cross breeding in cattle as part of a presentation during one of the educational sessions. Somehow, he went on a tangent about how older farmers are discouraging and preventing younger people from breaking into the industry. They aren’t giving us the opportunities to find work and constantly complain about the downfalls of the industry. It was refreshing to hear someone say this.
According to a report done by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), between 2013 and 2017, beginning farms and ranches accounted for 17 percent of all farming and ranching operations and 8 percent of agricultural production in the U.S. With roughly 2 percent of the population involved in production agriculture, and the average age being close to 60 years old, there is a need for continued technological advancements in agriculture, as well as more farmers and ranchers breaking into the industry. Yet, beginners are always met with negativity, it seems.
If you look at a social media feed, where an aspiring farmer or rancher asks a question about getting started, you may find many people discouraging them from the industry. They respond with reasons such as, the markets are bad, or ranching is too difficult. In other instances, they bash younger generations, or new technologies, and seemingly everything refreshing about the industry. Instead of beginner farmers and ranchers being a generation with no ambition, perhaps we just aren’t met with the same opportunities? Instead of an industry that is bound to fail and no one tries to begin our own operations, maybe we empower those who are looking to get started in an industry that can only improve with fresh ideas, and support of someone who might be able to bring in a whole new audience.
What resources are young and beginning farmers and ranchers presented with, and are they aware of opportunities, or are they more difficult to find in an age where many things are accessible?Of course, there are programs for those breaking into the industry and communities of Young Farmers and Ranchers affiliated with Farm Bureau associations, there are workshops, and Farm Service agents who might offer some guidance, but when it comes to easily accessible resources there is a lack- such as magazine publications, educational material regarding policy, how to access land, and other information that people breaking into the industry need targeted specifically towards them.
When I started out, I had a meek background in production agriculture. My knowledge and experience were both a basic understanding of the industry, something I compare to one degree higher than a consumer buying from a grocery store. Sure, I was surrounded by family and friends who had a very deep understanding of different sectors of the industry, but I spent years teaching myself the things I know now- and even then, it isn’t a complex understanding of the inner workings in agriculture. Trying to find a tangible opportunity to learn about the industry, things that are more hands-on than a farm tour, or webinar that don’t allow me to fully understand the inner workings of an industry has been the biggest blockade for my entry into cattle ranching.
There simply aren’t a lot of resources for someone who wants to learn, but may not have a mentor, or the ability to attend every educational session offered for beginner.
Why is the percentage of farmers dropping, though? We keep asking why member numbers are down in our associations, and why most of them are older. Maybe we should ask what are YOU doing to attract younger generations? Are you welcoming? Are you willing to mentor someone who may not know the ins and outs of the industry but has a passion for it, and willing to seek out those who may need help but don’t know who to ask? Are you giving a positive outlook into the industry and accepting changes? Are you willing to allow younger people the chance to be a part of your organization, or better yet, lead it? What qualities do you want in our future farmers and are you successfully searching for that or are you just going for anyone that will give it a shot? Agriculture is a risk that MUST come with passion. Our generation is fueled by passion. Without it, we won’t want to work. We are told to do whatever we want to do, become whomever we want to become and if we aren’t happy, we should keep striving to be happy. Most of us love our jobs because we wouldn’t be doing them if we didn’t. How can you make people fall in love with agriculture? How are you inspiring us? Are you explaining policy, and what it means for our industry, so beginners understand how to fight for our industry?
There are many questions we could ask to show older generations that we need guidance, direction, and inspiration to become great, but we also are intimidated, or discouraged because we face a lot of negativity when we start to chase our dreams.
Most young people in today’s industry, according to Dr. Daley, are optimistic about the future of Agriculture. Farming is a job where you need optimism, in an industry where risk is high, and profit isn’t always the same. In today’s society full of threats towards farmers and ranchers, we NEED people who are optimistic and people who don’t exactly fit the mold so classically known for a farmer- this gives us the changes and diversity we need to survive. Are we searching for those kinds of people? Are we thinking outside the box? I participated in my first Young Farmers discussion meet in 2017, where we were asked how the federation could help first generation farmers. My group entertained the idea of a mentorship between young and old farmers, adding more agriculture into the education system and we even discussed how other states have implemented laws that gave first generation farmers access to land and equipment from old farmers. Our generation is trying our hardest to bring agriculture back! We still look to the older generations to help implement those changes and accept our ideas though, without the stereotypical old grumpy farmer responses full of negativity and bitterness. Maybe our issue is this; we can’t adapt to the differences between young farmers and old very easily. It’s almost a “my way or the highway” philosophy. We struggle because both new and old generations alike are prideful. The major stigma surrounding the industry is that we are exclusive, when we need to be inclusive. In Alabama, the Farmers Federation’s policy on its young farmers’ association is to give us as many opportunities as possible. Maybe past generations need to take that stance and be open minded to the opportunities they can provide someone. Older farmers can be confrontational and scare off any attempt from a millennial to become involved for fear of being so harshly criticized for every wrong thing we do. As millennial farmers, in turn, we need to recognize that we have to put in the work and learn from past generations.
How do we bridge this gap between beginners and more experienced farmers and ranchers?
Let’s begin by sharing more positive advice when giving it. We don’t have to have rose-colored glasses about the struggles of the industry, and as beginners, it’s nice to know the realities. This doesn’t mean we should be told to give up on our dreams, considering that doesn’t promote a healthy work ethic- giving up on our goals.
Let’s promote more beginner-friendly meetings, where it isn’t just fluff material, but rather, diving into why policy is important, how someone can seek out help with basic activities and questions as they start out, things that people can’t easily google “how-to…?” Let’s write articles with less jargon, and more fundamentals of production agriculture. Our beginners are going to shape our industry for the future, and we have to harbor them, just as much as we have to thank older generations for the work they have done thus far. We have a great industry, let’s make sure we are all great players in it.
