The average age of the American farmer is nearly 60 years old
The USDA just released the 2017 Census of Agriculture, the first count in five years of our nation’s farms and ranches and the people who run them. The average age of the American farmer is continuing to rise, reaching nearly 60 years old and threatening the future of U.S. agriculture.
The number of young farmers is not keeping pace with farmers aging out of the field, and we are losing farms and farmland at an alarming rate.
- Primary producers over 65 now outnumber primary producers under 35 by 6.4 to 1
- While the number of farmers under 35 increased by 2%, number of farmers over 65 increased by 11% since 2012
- Between 2012 and 2017, we lost almost 70,000 farms and over 14 million acres of farmland
The National Young Farmers Coalition is a national advocacy network of young farmers fighting for the future of agriculture. We change policy, build networks, and provide business services to ensure all young farmers have the chance to succeed. Young Farmers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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