Opportunities and Challenges for Generation Z on the Farm
Generation Z. The “Zoomers.” People rarely associate Gen Z with farming for many reasons, mainly because we are seen as tech-savvy, and public perception is that technology is only a small part of a farming operation. But for my generation, working and managing the farm today, we are faced with challenges that our parents and grandparents may not have had to face.
Some may say Gen Z has no future in farming because everything is too expensive, it’s too tough, and there is not enough opportunity. Yet, a sizable portion of rural Americans under the age of 30 have carved a foothold in an industry that is increasingly closing the door on new entrants. Rural communities are actually seeing an influx of Gen Z and millennials moving in because of the many benefits that rural living and close communities have to offer.
FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE AS A GEN Z FARMER
I am a fifth-generation farmer, but also a first-generation cattle feeder and beef backgrounder. I belong to Gen Z and have experienced firsthand the challenges and opportunities other young farmers like me face. After completing college, I came home to the family farm to dive in full-time and make my mark in family history.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GEN Z FARMERS
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It is not all doom and gloom for beginning farmers.
Social media has provided new ways for farmers to engage with consumers, market their products, and even participate in brand partnerships, providing opportunities for additional income that earlier generations did not have available to them.
Most farmers who have an opportunity to farm, either through the previous generation or otherwise, choose to take the opportunity in a heartbeat.
Right now, rural communities are not actually hemorrhaging their farm population, but are growing. Gen Z is coming back to lead their communities into the 21st century with generations of experience at their back. Many of the farmers are looking forward to keeping their rural communities vibrant and alive while modernizing and tweaking the rural way of life.
Many of us also have the opportunity to diversify our family’s operation. On our farm, I saw an opportunity to add in a cattle backgrounding business and I help lead that part of our farm today. Others explore adding in agritourism, food production and processing, new crops and livestock, and more. Direct-to-consumer activities are also more possible thanks to social media and the internet.
It is also easier for my generation to adopt new technology thanks to our familiarity with tech from a young age. Our operations can adapt quickly to the times.
CHALLENGES FOR GEN Z FARMERS
Challenges still arise, of course. Much of Gen Z’s experience in agriculture depends on the transition plan of their parents, or even grandparents, which may have not yet kicked into action as the average age of the U.S. farmer has been increasing.
For those new to the industry or with complex succession plans, it can be challenging to start on their own, especially if they need to get access to land. Capital access is complicated, whether your family farmed in the past or if you are just starting out. Some simply have given up on the dream of farming because it is too hard to find the capital to get started.
Plus, interest rates are high, commodity prices are low, and global politics are less than settled – it is not that different than what our parents experienced in the 80s. It is a challenging time for anyone to enter into farming, but these challenges won’t stop us.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Gen Z farmers will use the technology and education at their disposal to hold their family operation together, expand into new markets, and modernize their equipment and operations to compete in the 21st-century global marketplace. As much as the path may be littered with boulders to move, and comments about the difficulty of the path ahead, we are a generation that moves ahead. One step at a time.
I am proud to be a part of the next generation to take a leadership role on the farm and in the agriculture industry. The previous generations have taught us a lot, and my hope is to apply those learnings while bringing fresh ideas and new life to our farm.
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