9-28 IAN Farmers' Concerns

Too hot, too dry, too wet, too cool; this growing season has had it all. As expected, drought and weather-related problems were top-of-mind for growers surveyed at the Bayer CropScience exhibit during their recent Farm Progress Show. Sometimes I have been questioned because I have done a number of stories on climate change. Well, it turns out that topic is very relevant to farmers. In fact, 73 percent of respondents to Bayer CropScience’s daily survey noted climate and weather problems as the biggest challenge experienced on their farm this year. Weed resistance ranked second in terms of challenges this year, with 18 percent of growers reporting this to be of significant concern on their farms. Disease prevention (4 percent), finances (3 percent) and people resources (2 percent) rounded out the biggest challenges survey participants faced this year.

Growers don’t seem to expect this season’s weather issues to fade either, with 26 percent of farmers surveyed saying that climate change is the biggest challenge to the future of farming.

Population growth and food supply were also cited as leading concerns, with 37 percent of growers surveyed ranking them as the biggest challenges facing farming’s future. 

A talent gap (16 percent), energy and renewable fuels (11 percent), and consumers' negative perception of the technolgy needed to feed a hungry world (11 percent) were also cited as major future challenges by growers.

Finally, growers were also surveyed on what one thing they wished young people or non-ag people: 36 percent said, “Farming isn’t easy or lucrative; it’s about love for the land, animals and family legacy. 28 percent said, “A lot goes into maintaining a successful farm—management, distribution, processing, accounting, construction, marketing and hard work. 16 percent said, “Modern agriculture has changed considerably in the past 50 years due to technology and population growth.”