By Jessica Sokolic
According to the EPA’s Ag Center, in 2009, there were over 285,000,000 people living in the United States, less than 1% of this population claimed farming as their occupation. Of this 1% of the population, only 960,000 people claimed farming as their principal occupation (EPA Ag Center, 2009). For most, this is a frightening statistic that’s hitting hard in the heart of our homes. As the population continues to grow not only here in the United States, but also worldwide, the demand for food continues to grow with it. If the demand for food continues to grow, shouldn’t the farming population grow too?
This doesn’t seem to be the case. In the United States, the average age of our farmers is on the increase while the average size of their farms is on the decrease. American farmers are facing financial struggles, old age and the fact that there is only a very small group of younger generations to take their place. These factors have been shown in the results of the US Census as far back as the 70’s. It is being feared that our nation’s current farmers may be the last of a dying breed.
For the purpose of the US Census, the EPA Ag Center defines a farm as, “any establishment which produced and sold, or normally would have produced and sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the year” (EPA Ag Center, 2009). By following this definition, there are just over 2.1 million farms in the United States. It is estimated that the average cost of living expenses alone for these farms exceeds $47,000 per year. With less than 1 out of every 4 farms making gross revenues in excess of $50,000, it proves that the American farmer is struggling (EPA Ag Center, 2009).
The average age of America’s principal farm operators has been documented as above 50 years old as far back as the 1974 Census of Agriculture. In contrast, the percentage of principal farm operators below the age of 35 has been decreasing since 1982, when it was 15.9%. In 2002, this percentage dropped as low as 5.8%. These statistics show that our nation’s farmers are dwindling in numbers (USDA).
The Missouri farmer is no different. The average age of the Missouri farmer has increased from 54 years old in 1997 to 57 years old in 2007, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The average Missouri farm size is 269 acres with average farm production expenses running around $56,900. The average net cash farm income of operation is only $18,176 (USDA).
Our nation maybe in danger of losing one of it’s key building blocks and yet it gets overlooked everyday. The American farmer has been and will be continued to be taken for granted, until they are gone. It is our responsibility as a nation to bring this crisis to the forefront and give our farmers the support they have long deserved. It is our responsibility to make sure that today’s American farmer is not the last of a dying breed.
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