Increasing Trend of Youth interest in Farming
Posted by Unknown in Agriculture, Farming on Friday, 25 January 2013
(AP) — More young people seem to be going into farming.
New
numbers on farmers won't be available until after the next agricultural
census is done next year, but those in agriculture point to some good
signs: Enrollment in university agriculture programs has increased, as
has interest in farmer-training programs.
Faye
Jones works with new farmers in Wisconsin. She says some farm tours
where would-be farmers can learn and share information are drawing as
many as 100 people.
That's
good news to the government. More than 60 percent of farmers are over
the age of 55, and the Agriculture Department's Poppy Davis says without
young farmers to replace retirees, the nation's food supply could be
vulnerable.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has called for 100,000 new farmers within the next few years.
