Frank Sinatra once sang, ‘You make me feel so young … ” An old Irish Proverb reads … “Praise the ripe Field … Not the green corn.” Oscar Wilde said that “youth is wasted on the young.” Dad always said …”Go ask your mom.”

What do all these quotes have in common? They’re all about our youth. Appreciating our youth. Recognizing our youth. And remembering Dad would never say yes, unless Mom said yes. (LOL)

Sometimes we just want to impart upon the youth of our communities what we have learned with age. Communicating this is often difficult. It’s the quandary of our farming communities.

The average age of farmers is often the focal point of discussions regarding the future of agriculture, and in Ohio that age is 56. Of the 75,861 Ohio principal farm operators, 42 percent are age 35-54 (a period generally referred to as the prime working age), and another 52 percent are age 55–70+. Only 6 percent (4,729) principal operators are 34 and under.

On the lighter side, according to an employment outlook report released today by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University, there is an average of 35,400 new U.S. graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture related fields. However that still falls short by 22,500 of the jobs available annually.

Two primary factors affect the failure rate of agricultural enterprises: the size of the farm and the age of the operator. Farm exit rates decline as income of the farm increases and farm exit rates are lower for both producers between 45 and 54 years of age and for those with prior business experience.

Hands-on training in the filed and working with experienced operators seem to be the keys to farming success in Ohio and across the nation. The way I see it, for Ohio to grow and to sustain the future of this industry — the largest industry in the State — we need to work with and develop beginning farmers. And we need to rely the experience of our agricultural professionals to share their knowledge with these demographics. But those younger demographics NEED TO LISTEN!

The technologies and cutting edge science our farming and agricultural graduates bring to the table are necessary. But I also see some of these graduates “Full of _ _ ss and vinegar” (as Dad would say referring to going to fast and headstrong into something).

I think getting the Experienced Farmer and the Newbie Farmer together and communicating is important. It is directly linked to the continued prosperity of farming. Both need to be able to adapt to market trends and consumer needs. Both need to recognize the challenges of the industry. And both need to work together now more than ever in order to achieve our ultimate goals of providing healthy and safe food and fiber for the growing masses.

With age comes wisdom … go ask your mom.

Here’s seeing you, in Ohio Country!