Reaching Out to Young Farmers in New York

Upstate New York agricultural organizations are going to considerable efforts to get young people into the industry. Some agricultural officials believe that without an influx of new farmers, the industry will suffer a major economic collapse.

The average age of American farmers has been increasing for several decades. It is approaching 60 in several regions and communities, giving farmers a grim outlook for the future. Overall productivity may drop without new farmers replacing retirees, putting the strength of the American farm sector in peril.

This is especially true for fragile industries like the dairy industry in New York. Price variations have generated mini-recessions in the dairy industry for several years, putting many dairy farmers out of business.

In order to attract replacements, certain farm organizations in upstate New York have started intensive outreach efforts, reaching out to groups such as the Future Farmers of America to brainstorm new ideas and practices.

The meetings that followed yielded a wide range of ideas and viewpoints. "It was interesting," says the agricultural coordinator for Jefferson County, New York. Many of the suggestions were intriguing. The fact that some people believe we need some kind of internship program for all of our farms to participate in."

As this outreach continues, hopefully, more young people will be interested in taking up farming as a profession. But some farmers want to do things fast, which is why they're trying to get agricultural financing to offer loans to new and upcoming farmers. This move is to entice more people to venture into the field so that the agricultural industry won't suffer from a lack of manpower in the future.

If you're interested in a career in farming, reach out to your local agricultural organization today. They may have more information on how you can get started in the profession. Regardless, with the right mindset and some hard work, a career in farming can be very rewarding.