An article from The Washington Post noted that an increasing number of young Americans are leaving their desk jobs to farm. The latest census of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed that the number of farmers below the age of 35 is increasing.

1. Exploring the Top
Concerns of Today's
Young Farmers
Farm Mortgage Loan

2. An article from The Washington Post noted that an increasing number of young Americans
are leaving their desk jobs to farm. The latest census of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) revealed that the number of farmers below the age of 35 is increasing.
While the fact that many individuals leave their corporate jobs to do farming is an
admirable thing, these young, budding farmers need to face concerns that they must
overcome. Successful Farming discusses a few of these top concerns, and what young
farmers can do to resolve them.
Limited Access to Capital
According to Farm Futures, access to capital and land is the biggest hurdle for young
farmers. When access to capital is limited, one solution will be to come up with a viable
business plan. Simple business planning, coupled with careful financial forecasting, will
open up financing options for the farmer.
Lack of Assistance from USDA

3. The staff shortages at the USDA and the budget cutbacks make this another concern for
young farmers. Fortunately, young farmers can do the following if they are unable to
obtain assistance from the USDA:
 Obtain expertise from other farmers.
 Utilize social media to get in touch with the agricultural community.
 Grow alternative crops and produce food for direct sale to grocery stores,
restaurants, and consumers.
Lack of Connections
The skill to come up with sound decisions, over time and consistently, is something that
separates a successful farmer from the rest of the herd. What young farmers should do
with this particular concern is to utilize their current network to offset their lack of
experience. They should be assertive and speak up to make connections.
While the enumerated concerns could discourage people from pursuing farming, this is not
the case at present. The 2017 National Young Farmer Survey found that young farmers
today are ready to overcome barriers to achieve success in agriculture.

4. SOURCES:
http://farmmortgageloan.com/
http://www.farmfutures.com/story-access-land-capital-biggest-hurdle-young-farmers-8-
94349
https://www.agriculture.com/news/top-7-concerns-of-young-farmers
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-growing-number-of-young-
americans-are-leaving-desk-jobs-to-farm/2017/11/23/e3c018ae-c64e-11e7-afe9-
4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ad284da98424