Next Gen Farmers Pt 2

Next Gen Farmers Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I’m Bob Larson. Family farms still make up a majority of the farms production in this country, but it won’t be easy to convince farm kids to take over once mom and dad retire.

Pam Lewison, Moses Lake farmer and Ag Director at the Washington Policy Center, says their daughter loves being on the farm, but she’s still young with much more to learn…

LEWISON … “She loves this life and I’m thinking to myself, you know 20-years down the road, is it really going to be something we want to encourage her to do. Because, given how hard it is right now, is it going to be exponentially harder for her as an adult to do this?”

But when the time comes, Lewison says we’ll be very frank with her …

LEWISON … “You know, realistically, that’s a conversation in every farm household in Washington state. And if it’s not, realistically, it will be very soon. It’s something that you cannot live without, and you can’t imagine another job for yourself in the long term.”

Lewison says that’s really a question every farmer asks every day …

LEWISON … “Because, if you don’t feel that pull to farm deep inside your guts, you would not subject yourself to it day in and day out, year after year.”

Lewison says all farmers are optimistic realists. We see what is, but we’re always hopeful for what can be.”

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