By Andi Anderson
A new proposal introduced in Congress could help beginning farmers across the country by offering them better access to land, funding, and essential resources. The bipartisan "New Producer Economic Security Act" aims to launch a pilot program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support those who have been farming for ten years or fewer.
Beginning farmers face several challenges, including the high cost of land, limited access to markets, and financial barriers to start operations. Between 2017 and 2022, some states experienced a drop in available farmland, making it even more difficult for new farmers to get started.
The USDA pilot program could offer low- or no-interest loans, land-access grants, and support for community-based land ownership models like land trusts and cooperatives. These initiatives are designed to help more young and aspiring farmers take their first steps into agriculture.
Currently, Missouri ranks second in the United States for the number of farms, with over 85,000. However, across the nation, farmland is becoming harder to obtain, and the average age of farmers continues to rise.
"The average age of a farmer in the United States is 58 years old, I think a little above 58 years old," said Nicholas Rossi, a policy specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. "We see in the next couple of years there's going to be one of the largest transfers of agricultural land this country's seen in a long time."
According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, about 30% of the country’s more than 3 million farmers are considered beginning producers—a rise from just over 26% in 2017. However, new farmers remain unevenly distributed, with coastal states having higher shares than those in the Midwest.
Supporters of the bill hope this pilot program will become a permanent part of the federal Farm Bill, ensuring long-term resources for new producers. The goal is to preserve family farms, promote rural economic growth, and create opportunities for the next generation of agricultural leaders.
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Categories: Michigan, Government & Policy