Every five years, we survey young farmers and ranchers across the country to present a clear picture of their challenges and promises, and to call for a farm bill that serves the next generation in agriculture.
The numbers are in! For our largest National Young Farmer Survey yet, we worked with more than 100 partner organizations to survey over 10,000 young and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) farmers across the country.
The 2022 Survey findings, Building a Future with Farmers 2022: Results and Recommendations from the National Young Farmer Survey, share the voices of a generation of young farmers who are working hard to feed their communities and build successful careers in agriculture despite the significant challenges they face, including access to farmland and capital, student loan debt, access to healthcare, affordable housing, and the increasing impacts of climate change. The Survey also confirmed that all of the top young farmer challenges are experienced at higher rates by BIPOC farmers.
To ensure today’s young farmers are able to build careers in agriculture, the Coalition is calling on lawmakers and supporters to promote the 2022 Young Farmer Agenda —comprehensive federal farm policy recommendations based on our findings.
Despite the many barriers facing them, the young farmers who took our survey are working hard to build resilient, healthy, and equitable communities. Let’s work together to ensure that the 2023 Farm Bill supports each and every one of them.
Thank you to the over 100 partner organizations who helped us share our survey, and to La Semilla, the Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, and the Land Stewardship Project for partnering with us to improve geographic and racial equity in our outreach. This survey and report would not have been possible without generous support from General Mills, Niman Ranch, Applegate, sweetgreen, and the Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation.