American farmers are getting old, and there aren't enough younger farmers to replace them

Lack of younger farms means aging farmers have to work
  harder. (Photo by KT Kanazawich, The Washington Post)

American farming has a problem -- its labor force is aging, and there's no clear pipeline to fill the eventual need. "The average American farmer is 57 and a half years old, according to the most recent data from the Department of Agriculture. That's up sharply from 1978, when the figure was just a smidge over 50, report David R. Buys, John J. Green and Mary Nelson Robertson for The Conversation, a platform for journalism by academics. "As researchers who study well-being in rural areas, we wanted to understand this trend and its implications. So we dug into the data."

"We found that the average age of farmers was fairly consistent across the country, even though the general population's age varies quite a bit from place to place," the researchers write. "For example, the average Maine farmer is just a few months older than the average farmer in Utah, even though the average Maine resident is more than a decade older than the average Utahn." Their data also showed a countrywide trend of "amber waves of gray" and noted that if farmer recruitment or industry adaptations aren't implemented, America's food supply could be at risk.

Buys, Green and Robertson asked, "Why is this happening?" They cite several barriers younger would-be farmers face, including how much money it takes to start a farm, agricultural consolidation, and the profession's overall stresses from weather to politics.

The lack of younger farmers increases workloads for current farmers. Researchers explain, "Without younger people to leave the work to, farmers are left with intense labor — physically and mentally – to accomplish, on top of the ordinary challenges of aging. . . . The U.S. needs to increase opportunities for younger farmers while also supporting farmers as they age."

The good news is that the USDA already has some programs within the Farm Bill designed to "aid new farmers, as well as farmers of color and female farmers, and those who operate small farms," Buys, Green and Robertson explain. The upcoming Farm Bill could expand those programs to "help bring new talent into the field. . . . The farm bill also includes nutrition aid and funds for telehealth training and educational outreach for farmers, all of which could help meet the needs of young and aging farmers alike. Notably, the Cooperative Extension Service offers programs that range from 4-H and youth development, including introduction to agriculture, to providing on-site technical help."

Researchers point to the 2024 Census of Agriculture, which will provide "new insight into America's farming workforce. We expect it will show that the average age of U.S. farmers has reached a new all-time high."