The faces of agriculture are changing, as more young people are attracted to agricultural career opportunities that fit their desires, lifestyles and interests. Yet, ag is still failing to attract enough people to meet current and future needs.
Farming is poised for a massive generational shift that raises serious concerns about how food production will transfer to the next generation. More than one-third of farmers are over age 65, and two-thirds are over age 55. Similarly, food and ag companies are concerned about a shortage of talent.
A 2016 study sponsored by Land O’Lakes Inc. and conducted by ORC International showed only 3 percent of college grads and 9 percent of millennials thought about an ag career. More than half of respondents said it would be difficult to find jobs in ag, and 76 percent didn’t think/weren’t sure ag careers paid well.
Conversely, there also are signs millennials are flocking to ag careers. Enrollment in college and university agricultural programs increased from about 120,000 in 2004 to more than 137,000 in 2012, and it continues to grow. Between 1970 and 2014, the number of bachelor’s degrees in agriculture and natural resources tripled to more than 35,000, and master’s degrees grew 250 percent to more than 6,500 – still thousands short of U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts predicting a need for nearly 58,000 college graduates in agriculture and food.
If they give it a second look, they will find ag careers match a lot of their goals and values. Millennials thrive on innovation and the use of technology. They also value the collaborative management style, which increasingly dominates modern farming and ranching.
Colleges also are adapting to appeal to millennial “foodie” interests. In a modern take on the old combination of production agriculture and “home economics” offerings, higher education is adapting interdisciplinary courses bringing together farming, natural resource conservation, food science, social science and culinary arts.
Millennials embrace technology, and agriculture is at the forefront, with opportunities in plant and animal genetics, drones, advanced computerization and satellite integration. Improved internet access also is reducing isolation and increasing attractiveness in rural areas. Also appealing are career paths tied to agriculture on a broader scale, like water resource management, habitat reclamation and conservation, renewable fuels and farm policy.
The renewed interest in ag careers is also fueling FFA membership. With a shift in direction, FFA has grown by 50,000 the last four years to nearly 630,000 members. For many years, schools reduced or eliminated traditional “vocational agriculture programs,” but now, a shortage of qualified ag teachers is one of the biggest challenges.
At a time when food production needs to increase dramatically to feed a growing population, the need for educated, highly skilled workers is greater than ever. Leaders from all facets of agriculture need to showcase ag career opportunities and demonstrate relevance to millennials.
—Robert Giblin writes, speaks and consults on the agricultural industry. This column was provided by the Missouri Farm Bureau, MoFB.org.
