young farmers

U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers of every kind are growing older. The average age of farm producers (PDF, 1.8 MB) increased from 56.3 to 57.5 years from 2012 to 2017. As legacy producers retire, our nation needs the next generation of producers to take on the important business of providing food, feed, fuel, and fiber for a growing population.

This November, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will begin mailing the 2022 Census of Agriculture to all known ag producers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico to gather information about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The ag census, conducted every five years, remains the only source of comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every state, county, and U.S. territory.

Farming is hot! From sweet corn to watermelon and apricots to tomatoes, a lot is growing on the farm this summer. Millions of producers across our nation continue to work tirelessly to produce safe and delicious food. According to the latest Census of Agriculture, more than a quarter of these producers are new and beginning farmers, proving that many people are unable to resist agriculture’s magnetic appeal.