According to the USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture, the average age of the American farmer is 57.5 years, up 1.2 years from 2012. Young producers — age 35 or younger — account for only 9 percent of farmers. That makes 30-year-old Stevie Hall a rarity in the farm industry. Many industry groups, such as The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, are highlighting the importance and encouraging the advancement of young and first-time farmers like Stevie.
“If we don’t invest in beginning farmers and the advancement of our family farms, and if we don’t put checks on increasing consolidation in agriculture, we’re going to be at risk of losing the ag of the middle entirely,” said Juli Obudzinski, NSAC policy director. “If we’re going to reverse these trends, we need to focus on programs and policies — beginning farmer and rancher programs, local and organic agriculture, and farmer-driven research, to name a few — that help our family farmers thrive, not just survive.”