Senator Tuberville alerts Congress to mounting crisis in US agriculture economy
June 04, 2025 | Aging (Special), Special, Select and Other Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation
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The aging farm workforce is a pressing issue for America's agricultural sector, as highlighted in a recent government meeting. Experts discussed the increasing average age of U.S. farmers, attributing it to several factors, including the prevalence of multi-generational family farms. Many young people are returning to their family operations instead of starting their own, which can create a facade of younger management teams while the primary operators remain older.
The discussion revealed that modern farming is capital-intensive, requiring significant investment over a farmer's lifetime. This trend contributes to the rising average age of farm operators. Additionally, the USDA's broad definition of a farm includes many part-time operations, which skews the age statistics as retirees moving to rural areas are counted as farmers.
Concerns were raised about the viability of farms as the average age increases. Challenges such as the need for effective asset transfer to younger generations and the financial pressures on older farmers were emphasized. Family-owned farms, which make up 96% of U.S. farms, often rely on their business assets for retirement, complicating the transition to the next generation.
Programs like New York FarmNet, established in response to a financial crisis in the 1980s, provide crucial support. They offer free consultations with financial and mental health professionals to help farmers navigate stressors like price volatility, labor costs, and health care access. In 2024, FarmNet assisted businesses generating over $13 million in revenue, demonstrating the importance of such resources in maintaining a healthy agricultural sector.
Senator Tuberville underscored the dire state of the agricultural economy, noting the loss of 150,000 farms and 25,000 farmers in just five years. He pointed to significant financial losses and a growing trade deficit, calling for urgent reforms to support farmers, including extending tax cuts and addressing labor shortages through H-2A program reforms.
The meeting highlighted the critical need for strategies to attract younger individuals to farming and ensure the sustainability of family farms in the face of an aging workforce.
The discussion revealed that modern farming is capital-intensive, requiring significant investment over a farmer's lifetime. This trend contributes to the rising average age of farm operators. Additionally, the USDA's broad definition of a farm includes many part-time operations, which skews the age statistics as retirees moving to rural areas are counted as farmers.
Concerns were raised about the viability of farms as the average age increases. Challenges such as the need for effective asset transfer to younger generations and the financial pressures on older farmers were emphasized. Family-owned farms, which make up 96% of U.S. farms, often rely on their business assets for retirement, complicating the transition to the next generation.
Programs like New York FarmNet, established in response to a financial crisis in the 1980s, provide crucial support. They offer free consultations with financial and mental health professionals to help farmers navigate stressors like price volatility, labor costs, and health care access. In 2024, FarmNet assisted businesses generating over $13 million in revenue, demonstrating the importance of such resources in maintaining a healthy agricultural sector.
Senator Tuberville underscored the dire state of the agricultural economy, noting the loss of 150,000 farms and 25,000 farmers in just five years. He pointed to significant financial losses and a growing trade deficit, calling for urgent reforms to support farmers, including extending tax cuts and addressing labor shortages through H-2A program reforms.
The meeting highlighted the critical need for strategies to attract younger individuals to farming and ensure the sustainability of family farms in the face of an aging workforce.
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