Infographic: Why We Need New Farmers

In 2012, 62 percent of farmers were older than 55, while only 6 percent were younger than 35. As generations age out of farming, who will replace them? This infographic encourages students to think about the future of local food production and what it means to be a new farmer today.


The local food movement is growing, but the incentive to become a farmer isn’t. It’s expensive to get your own farm going, and the majority of those that start their own farm make barely any money. There’s a huge range of knowledge that farmers must navigate to be successful: proper business practices, government licensing, soil chemistry, pollination, and the list goes on. How can we inspire and support more young people to feed our population?

The infographic below makes the case for why we need new farmers.

BONUS: Read the YES! article, If There Are No New Farmers, Who Will Grow Our Food?

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