Agriculture: The Next Generation

Agriculture, The Next Generation. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

There is an old song about what’s the matter with kids today. And while each generation has asked that same question, there is a passing of the hat so-to-speak from generation to the next. Agriculture is no different. I have watched many of my school chums grow from being your typical teen to running the farm. Recently Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack heard from state officers from the National FFA Organization on their concerns as the next generation of America's farmers. John Stewart is the President of the North Carolina State FFA Association.

STEWART: As farmers get older we’re going to have to find a new generation of people to go into production agriculture but also to go into agri-science and different facets of agriculture so we’re going to need to make sure that we’re advocating for agriculture and that people understand there are many opportunities.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack challenged the group of future agricultural leaders to do more with less, just as the government is having to do. 

VILSACK: Now one way you could do more work would be to couple what they USDA is doing with what a private foundation may be interested in and maybe that private foundation would say if a community wanted to establish a farmers market we would be willing to give “X” percent of the cost of that farmers market if it would be matched by USDA. Now all of a sudden those limited dollars are being expanded to actually get the same or better results than we had before.

Shannon Norris, Western Regional Vice President, representing the New Mexico State FFA Association says she sees the here and now as an exciting time for young people to be involved in agriculture. 

NORRIS: There is that need to express getting youth involved in agriculture and currently our National FFA organization more than 500-thousand members and we’re focusing on allowing those students to be prepared for careers not only in agriculture industry through production but also through business and science and technology. And as we move throughout the future years of expressing that need for increasing food production for the growing human population, we’re also seeing the need for increasing jobs in other areas as well and so we’re preparing the leaders to hopefully fill those rolls tomorrow and I know that each one of them has a passion for moving agriculture forward and we’re excited to take the challenge.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.