The Need for Young Farmers – Making the Case

EXCERPT: Farmers and ranchers under age 35 are a rare species across the country, and the decline in the number of young farmers is a major issue for rural communities in Nebraska and Iowa. Without a new generation of entry-level farmers, the fear is that land will concentrate in large operations, meaning fewer families and less economic activity to support businesses, schools and churches.

The change during the last quarter-century has been dramatic. Farmers younger than 35 represented 15.9 percent of all agricultural operators in 1982. By 2007, they made up 5.4 percent.