Each year, the average age of the American farmer gets older, with fewer young folks entering the profession.
Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall has some advice for those considering a career in rural America.
“My advice would be to go find a really good mentor, show him how dedicated you are to this industry and to his farm and ranch, and see if you can create a future for you there on a farm that might be available to you someday. And, of course, we all either started with our family or we started small, and people got to start small and build themselves up. And two, you have to make sure that you’re a business person to really make sure that you equip your farm for the bad times, because they’re going to come.”
Numbers out this month show getting a new, younger workforce onto U.S. farms is a big priority.
In their quarterly report, CoBank says that the workforce shortage is set to be a long-term problem for the U.S. economy. They place blame on an aging population and falling birth rates.
The group warns that the U.S. is poised to enter a long period of retiring workers who will outpace new workers, and they say it could be a permanent shift.
The average age of the current farmer is just under 60 years old. Economists say that these challenges will only add to issues facing agriculture, such as rising costs and lower prices.
Britt Hilton with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau joined us to discuss current conditions, producer impacts, and the road to recovery following the Ranger Road Fire.
February 27, 2026 02:18 PM
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The closure of Lubbock Feeders highlights mounting pressure on the U.S. cattle supply, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, as border restrictions and costs strain feedyards.
February 27, 2026 11:59 AM
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From projected drops in input costs to biofuel expansion and the USDA’s new “One Farmer, One File” initiative, Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins shared key policy priorities at Commodity Classic that put farm issues back in the spotlight.
February 27, 2026 11:32 AM
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NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart discussed the legal process behind delisting the prairie chicken, the challenges ranchers faced under the bird’s previous protections, and the benefits of cooperative habitat management for both livestock and wildlife.
February 27, 2026 10:55 AM
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U.S.-Mexico agricultural trade faces uncertainty in 2026 as tariffs and cartel violence threaten farmers and ranchers. Congressman Henry Cuellar and Texas leaders weigh in on impacts and risks.
February 27, 2026 09:00 AM
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Through “One Farmer, One File,” USDA’s mission is to create a single, streamlined record that follows the farmer — no matter where they go in the USDA system.
February 26, 2026 05:13 PM
