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Young Farmers, Ranchers Face Concerns but Express Optimism

Ben H

Well-known member
This is from an email I just recieved from Maine Farm Bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 11, 2010 -- Profitability, increasing government regulations and the impact of activist groups are the top concerns of America's leading young farmers and ranchers, according to a survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Despite the challenges, 80 percent of those responding to AFBF's 18th annual survey of young farmers and ranchers say they are more optimistic than they were five years ago, while 82 percent say they are better off than they were five years ago.

"Last year was a tough year economically for many sectors of agriculture," said AFBF YF&R Committee Chair Will Gilmer, a dairy farmer from Lamar County, Ala. "But despite the challenges, the survey shows young farmers and ranchers are optimistic and hopeful. We expect a bright future ahead."

The informal survey shows young farmers and ranchers have a high level of apprehension about government climate change regulations, with 79 percent of those surveyed expressing high or very high concern.

A huge majority of those surveyed expressed concern about the impact of activist groups on their farm and ranch operations. A total of 85 percent were concerned or very concerned about activist groups. Only 7 percent expressed little or no concern.

"Activist groups are becoming more and more vocal, so that is something we always have to keep our eyes on," Gilmer said. "There is also a great deal of concern about all the ways the government wants to regulate us, whether it's cap-and-trade or different Environmental Protection Agency rules."

Respondents were asked to rank their top three challenges, and 24 percent ranked overall profitability as the top, followed by government regulations at 23 percent. Two other concerns tied for third on that list, with competition from more established farms and ranches, and willingness of parents to share management responsibilities each receiving 9 percent.

And when it comes to what steps the federal government can take to help farmers and ranchers, 23 percent ranked cut federal spending as No. 1. Boosting U.S. agricultural exports ranked second, selected by 14 percent of respondents. Providing greater help to beginning farmers was third at 11 percent.

A sizable majority, 83 percent, said they believe farm income should come totally from the marketplace, while only 17 percent said farm income should be supplemented by government farm program payments.

Young farmers and ranchers are also committed environmental stewards, with 68 percent saying that balancing environmental and economic concerns is important for their operations. The survey says 58 percent used conservation tillage on their farms.

The majority of those surveyed, 57 percent, plan to plant biotech crops this year, while 43 percent said they do not plan to do so.

The survey also shows the Internet is an important tool for young farmers and ranchers. Nearly 99 percent said they have access to and use the Internet, with the vast majority, 72 percent, saying they have access to a high-speed Internet connection. Only 20 percent rely on slower dial-up connections and 8 percent turn to more costly satellite connections.

The social media site Facebook is very popular with young farmers and ranchers. Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed have a Facebook page. Ten percent of the young farmers say they use the micro-blogging Web site Twitter, while about 12 percent say they post YouTube videos.

Communicating with consumers is also important, with 77 saying they consider reaching out to the public about agriculture and their operations an important part of their jobs as farmers and ranchers.
"We're recognizing that we need to get out there and talk with our consumers, and we are doing so," Gilmer said. "Social media is just one more avenue for us to reach those who buy and consume what we produce."

In addition, the Internet is an important tool for the group to access both general and farm news, with 84 percent saying they use the Web for that function. Seventy-two percent said they turn to the Internet to collect buying information for their operations.

The survey also reveals the group's strong commitment to agriculture, with 96 percent saying they consider themselves life-long farmers or ranchers. They also express hope for the next generation, with 98 percent saying they would like to see their children follow in their footsteps; 85 percent believe their children will be able to follow in their footsteps.

"Young farmers and ranchers share the same traditional hopes and values that have always guided agriculture," said AFBF President Bob Stallman. "This survey shows that the future of American agriculture is in caring and capable hands."

The informal survey of young farmers and ranchers, ages 18-35, was conducted during AFBF's 2010 YF&R Leadership Conference in Tulsa, Okla., last month. There were 373 respondents to the informal survey
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jamiehuggins

Well-known member
My name is Jamie and I am new to this forum but am extremely excited that I found it! I wanted to respond to this post because I'm 24 and have been involved in farming and ranching my whole life, so this story is about me and some of my friends. This article couldn't be more right, one of the major concerns that my friends and talk about is the negative publicity that agriculture gets. When you do even a small amount of research on activists, you find tons of them with web pages, videos, in magazines, on talk shows ready to deface agriculture. However when you look for somebody standing up for us the faces are few and far between. I am currently in college getting a degree in ag business and animal science and my ultimate goal is use my passion for agriculture to promote it. So many people have no idea how much ag. effects their everyday lives. Most of us also realize that not matter how you look at it the world is gonna change, and we in the agriculture field have to stay on top of our game as well. That means keeping up on new technology, doing a little research, tracking current trends, standing up for our rights as agriculturist, but also allowing change. As far as our previous generations letting us aid in marketing and production, I fully realize that ya'll have been around for longer than us and have been doing this since we were knee high to a grasshopper and no turning the whole operation over to us would not be a good idea, but I promise you that my generation would be more inclined to invest our time and money in the family operation if we felt like we had more input into it. I know that when we were teenagers that ya'll wanted to hang most of us from the tree in the backyard and be done with it. And lets face it those days weren't too long ago, I'm sure you still have some grey hairs and the thought of us control the tv remote is scary enough without the thought of letting us have any control over the family business. But have a little faith in us, after all we were raised by you! (Sorry my post is so long but I have been waiting a very long time for someone to bring up this issue. I hope it gave ya'll a little insight.)
 

burnt

Well-known member
Welcome aboard jamiehuggins! It sure is refreshing to see some young enthusiasm cuz some of us older ones tend to get a little jaded by life's realities at times! :wink:

Your post reminds me of when I was young - I tried to get it all done at once! :wink: :lol2:

But I sure don't mind a long post, especially when it has a few paragraph breaks in it!! :wink:

Best wishes to you as you are at one of the most exciting times of your life, just getting your feet on the ground!
 

jamiehuggins

Well-known member
Thank you for your encouragement! Yes I must admit that my lack of proper writing probably doesn't make you very giddy about the future of agriculture now does it? :D I was just so excited to be able to at least get my view across and know that somebody would read it if only by accident. :wink: But in my defense I am an agriculture major and not an English major. :lol:
 

per

Well-known member
Welcome Jamie, post as long of paragraphs as you like. Warning though, not all long prose are always read here in Bull session and it can be a brutally honest place. Coffee shop and Ranch Talk are generally fun places to be.
 

jamiehuggins

Well-known member
Thanks for the welcome, and I have to admit I am already addicted and telling everyone I know to check it out. I just think that its great there is a place where people from around the world can post items about agriculture. I completely understand that nobody wants to read giant posts, including me. I try to only comment on the items that I know something about and I'll keep them short. :wink:
 

per

Well-known member
jamiehuggins said:
Thanks for the welcome, and I have to admit I am already addicted and telling everyone I know to check it out. I just think that its great there is a place where people from around the world can post items about agriculture. I completely understand that nobody wants to read giant posts, including me. I try to only comment on the items that I know something about and I'll keep them short. :wink:
Heck don't limit yourself to stuff you know things about. Corrections come shortly but it is fun to jump in whether knowledgeable or not. :)
 

Kato

Well-known member
And if you ever want to know anything about anything involving a cow, you will find an answer here. :wink: I've never seen a question put out there yet that didn't have someone who knew the answer. :D

Welcome to Rancher's. I will second the comment that the Bull Session tends to be a bit heavy on the "bull". :wink: And it gets a little scrappy in here. Ranch talk is the knowledge center, and Coffee Shop is the fun house where everybody's in a much better mood. :wink:

And don't forget to check out the world's longest continuous thread in Everything else. Word association. It's over a year old now, and goes on and on and on.... :D :D :D :D
 

burnt

Well-known member
Heck, if we'd all just talk about stuff that we actually know something about there wouldn't be much said around here and we'd sure miss Hay Maker. . . . . :wink:
 

jamiehuggins

Well-known member
:D I just like to comment on things I know about. If i don't know anything about it then I don't feel like I should be making statements about it. Sure I'll ask questions and gain information, but I just don't see the point in trying to lie to people and tell them stuff I know things that I don't know.
 

leanin' H

Well-known member
Welcome to Ranchers Jamie! But with comments like the one ya just made your pretty much never gonna be a politician! :roll: :lol: :lol: I like ya already! :D
 

jamiehuggins

Well-known member
I make a fool of myself easily enough without telling people I know about topics I have no clue about. :D I was always taught that your learn more with your ears open and your mouth shut. Personally I think that's why this whole world is gone belly up. People see something that catches their eye and instead of learning more about it they just go to running the show. Take for instance equine slaughter, agriculture, and guns.
 

leanin' H

Well-known member
I take it back! I'd like ya to run for congress or the president! :D :D :D I've always found I do better when I broadcast less than I receive! :wink:
 

jamiehuggins

Well-known member
I had to take a student college success class and they made us fill out a paper to tell us what we should major in. I knew was I was going to school for before I knew what school I was going to but I realize not everybody has it figured out. Anyhow, after I took the little quiz it told me one of my options would be in politics. :lol: I find that funny, I do care very much about what the government is doing and my future as well as the future of my children should I have any. However, it has been proven time and time again that exactly the opposite is what it takes to be in any office. :roll: Hopefully people will wake up and learn to look for the truth and not believe what runs across the TV screen in front of them.
 

mrj

Well-known member
It's great to see a young person with such a good mind AND common sense!

Here's wishing you the best of outcomes of your education and career choices, THEN some time filling your civic duty by a term or maybe a few in various public office.

That, in this elderly ladies' opinion is how our government was intended to be served, rather than as a "career" in politics which so many have chosen as a means to enrich themselves while impoverishing out nation.

mrj
 

jamiehuggins

Well-known member
I from time to time let my mind drift into the possibilities of me running for an office, but I'm just not sure about that whole mess. I'm not sure how far I would get being honest. I know that there are people who disagree with my views but I wouldn't be able to lie to them and promise them I would help them out when I had the opposite intention. Thank you for the best wishes, and who knows maybe one day I'll run for an office.
 

mrj

Well-known member
What I would like to see from more young people, and even not-so-young, is your attitude of waiting a few years.

Maturity is a necessary component, sadly lacking in some, for the serious civic responsibility of public office.

However, keeping politics and study of our governmental origins, observing the workings, and failures!, of business, life, education, and other makeup of the fabric of our nation and people in mind while persuing education and a work career is what allows responsible people to serve well in government as a civic responsiblity. We surely do need more people who understand the SERVICE part of that effort, and to forget the SELF serving part.

Don't forget to have fun and to explore and enhance your family ties and your faith along the way, too. People who do so seem to be more successful in life, whether 'the world' would consider them 'successful' or not!

mrj
 
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