Lately I’ve been thinking about those that till the land and produce the crops that feed our population. When I was actively involved working with farmers, I noticed that as I grew older so did the growers. Each year, grayer hair and more wrinkles looked back at me.
I believe the terms farmers, growers and producers are interchangeable – in this article I’m going to use the term “farmer” as one who tills the land and produces crops.
We know from a host of available statistics that we have an aging farm population. That’s concerning, especially if there aren’t enough young folks working their way up the ladder to eventually take over farming operations. Who is going to keep growing the agricultural products that fill store shelves and produce sections in large chain stores, retail farm stands and markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) operations and farmers markets? How do we ensure that we have farmers to produce the foods we consume daily?
This is a good question and one we really need to address as it is a question of not only our individual welfare but an issue of national security – which is based on a secure and vibrant food system.
The thing that keeps me up at night is that a farmer is a person who has mastered a variety of skills. Think about the many hats a farmer will wear throughout the year (or even in a single day). They must really understand the finer points about soils, especially the soils they are farming – are they sandy loam or clays? What about water movement through the different soils, or their water-holding capacity? What is the pH of the soil and how does that affect its nutrient-holding capacity? What about ruining their soils, which sometimes you just cannot avoid when harvesting a crop in unfavorable weather conditions?
What about timing of working soils for planting? What about the impacts various cover crops have on soil structure and tilth? How can one improve the organic matter in their soil and what effect does that have on production? What about the interaction of herbicides and various soils? What about being a good irrigator and understanding the various watering systems being employed on the farm?
Just as important is maintaining good soil fertility, whether one is an organic or chemical-intensive farmer. What about understanding fertigation and its relationship to different crops and soils? A farmer must understand soil tests and how to interpret them and make decisions on the correct amount and timing of fertilizer application.
Farmers must know what varieties to grow for their type of operation. And the larger the operation, the more responsibility that is given to different folks within it. They must be knowledgeable in their specific department, whether it’s land preparation, pesticide application, harvesting and handling or marketing the product.
Seed company representatives can be helpful and results from variety trials run by Extension personnel are useful sources of information. A lot of farmers will conduct their own variety trials to compare new varieties with their standards.
Knowing and recognizing both pest and disease symptoms is critical in addition to timely implementation of a pesticide program or application of biological controls. It can mean the difference between a successful crop and crop loss. Understanding weather and its impact on diseases and spread of diseases and migration of insects is critical.
Knowing when to harvest and proper handling of the crop, from storage temperatures and duration to packing and marketing, is critical to being successful. Being astute on business operations and finances is also critical. I would even throw in personnel management skills.
Marketing is crucial, whether shipping wholesale loads or setting up an attractive display a farmers market. Knowing how to price a product is also critical; it needs to account for all the expenses involved in producing the crop.
How about the skill set of being a mechanic so one can work on one’s machinery, whether performing routine maintenance or doing major repairs?
Proper decision-making is a critical component to a successful farmer. Years of experience is something that can help a farmer make those decisions. That goes back to my concern: How do we grow new growers? Where do they get the experience they need to be the farmers of the future?
First, growing up in an agricultural environment is certainly one of the best ways to learn about farming. We must also acknowledge that not everyone who grows up on a farm wants to stay on the farm though. If they do decide to stay on the farm, maybe they can attend one of the land grant universities, such as Penn State or Cornell, or private agricultural colleges such as Delaware Valley University. They may take courses with greater emphasis on ag business, ag engineering or ag law. They already have a basic knowledge of the skills required to farm from working with their elders, so developing additional skill sets that will benefit the farm upon their return is certainly beneficial.
In the College of Agriculture Sciences at Penn State, 80% of undergraduate students enrolled come from non-agricultural backgrounds. This is where figuring how to get experience for those that want to farm is a challenge. Not all those students are going to want to farm; there are a lot of positions available that support the farming community. For those who want to farm, getting involved in the student farms that are part of many campuses is a great way to gain experience.
Working on a farm is another great way to learn and gain valuable experience. Some farms have excellent summer internships that one can pursue, with training and experience from proven farmers. Hands-on experience is the best teacher. The more one can get to supplement their classroom instruction, the better positioned they will be.
Getting land to farm is certainly another issue – but I have seen many different arrangements being worked out between retiring farmers and new farmers. Government officials recognize the aging farm population as an issue and there are more programs becoming available to ensure we have well-trained replacement farmers in the future.
We’re also seeing more people who, after having a successful career in another field, want to get into farming (especially horticulture) and live the rural lifestyle. They may need assistance from other farmers and Extension personnel – and maybe a little “hand holding” in the beginning – to ensure their success, but I always believed that is what we we’re supposed to be doing in Extension.
Face to face interaction with farmers is still important as we grow and support both older and younger farmers to ensure our personal welfare and national security.
You can contact me with feedback on my columns or ideas for future columns at wlamont@psu.edu.
