On National Farmers’ Day, Oct. 12, Americans recognize the industrious folks who keep the globe fed and clothed.
Farmers in America are becoming older, and young people aren’t flocking to join them1.
On National Farmers’ Day, Oct. 12, Americans recognize the industrious folks who keep the globe fed and clothed.
However, the agricultural work force is facing a problem: it is quickly aging.
According to the most current statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture, the typical American farmer is 57 and a half years old. This is a significant increase from 1978, when the number was only a little over 50.
We sought to understand this trend and its ramifications as scholars who study rural well-being. So we went into the numbers.
Amber graying waves
We discovered that the average age of farmers was very steady throughout the nation, despite the fact that the age of the general population fluctuates quite a little from place to place.
The typical Maine farmer, for example, is just a few months older than the average Utah farmer, despite the fact that the average Maine resident is more than a decade older than the average Utahn.
To be honest, we did discover some regional disparities. In New York County, sometimes known as Manhattan, the typical farmer is slightly north of 31. The typical farmer in Hudson County, New Jersey, is over 72 years old.
Overall, America’s agricultural labor is becoming older. If the country does not recruit new farmers or adjust to having fewer, older ones, the country’s food supply may be jeopardized. But, before you worry, consider this: Why is this happening?
A difficult field to break into
To begin, there are significant obstacles to admission for young individuals who were not born into multigenerational farming households. It costs money to purchase farmland, equipment, and other necessities, and younger individuals have less wealth than older people.
Because of agricultural consolidation, young individuals born into family farms may have less opportunity to take over. Those who do have the opportunity may pass it up because they say that life in the country is more difficult than life in the city or suburbs.
The agricultural industry’s general stress is also a source of concern: farmers are often at the whim of weather, supply shortages, turbulent markets, and other circumstances completely beyond their control.
In addition to understanding why fewer young people desire to work in agriculture, it is critical to recognize the requirements of older farmers. Farmers are left with difficult labor — physically and intellectually — to achieve, on top of the normal obstacles of aging, since there are no younger people to entrust the task to.
In other words, the United States must provide chances for younger farmers while simultaneously assisting farmers as they mature.
Possibilities for assistance
The USDA already has programs in place to assist novice farmers, farmers of color, female farmers, and those who run small farms. Extending the breadth and effect of these initiatives may help attract fresh talent to the industry.
Congress might do exactly that when it reauthorizes the farm bill, which is a collection of legislation covering a broad variety of food and agriculture-related programs that is approved every five years.
The farm bill also contains nutrition assistance, as well as funding for telemedicine, training, and educational outreach for farmers, all of which might help fulfill the needs of both young and older farmers. Notably, the Cooperative Extension Service provides programs ranging from 4-H and youth development, including agricultural introduction, to on-site technical assistance.
The farm bill was meant to be reauthorized by Congress by September 30, 2023, however that date was missed. It now has a new deadline of December 31, although many anticipate the process to go on until 2024 owing to turmoil in the House of Representatives.
In addition, the USDA will issue its next Census of Agriculture in 2024, providing academics with fresh information on America’s agricultural workforce. We anticipate that it will reveal that the average age of American farmers has hit a new all-time high.
If you think differently, we wouldn’t bet the farm.
