We are fortunate to live in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that has some of the best farmland in the world. It’s an irreplaceable resource that is continually being gobbled up for other uses. Converting farmland to new housing developments, strip malls, and fast food joints seem to be the answer to how some families cash in for retirement when the family can’t see a future in farming.

Let’s give farm families another option. People who want to have a farm they can call their own. Farm Bureau’s survey of young farmers confirmed it; the biggest challenge for young farmers is land availability. One of the primary focuses of our work has and continues to be addressing this very issue. But since we can’t make more land, we need to look at the needs of the entering and retiring farmer. We can’t address the needs of one with out addressing the needs of the other.

The statistics are not improving. In 1994 there were twice as many farmers age 65 or older as farmers under 35. Today, according to the 1997 Census, there are three times as many farmers age 65 and older as under 35. What is even more alarming, in my opinion, is that there has been a 58% drop in the number of new farmers.

Pennsylvania Farm Link’s recent survey of new farmers found that most beginners want to rent land before purchasing farmland. Not surprisingly most are also looking for farmland to rent and some need to gain more experience by working with another farmer.

What is very encouraging is the optimism of this group. When asked how likely it is that they would be operating a farm in the next five years 60% said that it was very likely.

What can we do to help out these aspiring young farmers? I would like to offer two suggestions: 1) If you have anyone in your family who is interested in farming talk to them about transitioning the farm, sooner rather than later. We are ready to help you with our Passing on the Farm workshop series, and/or with individual assistance and information. 2) If you don’t have anyone in your family who wants to farm, consider our database linking service.

The linking service is user friendly. We ask you to complete a confidential questionnaire about the type of farm you have, what type of arrangement you would like with the new farmer—i.e., starting out as an employee, renting, and/or purchasing, --housing that might be available, and any other requirements. The entering farmer completes a similar questionnaire. We sort through the questionnaires and try to match up the arrangements and locations. Of course, the more flexible each party is in their preferences and options the more opportunities there are. We suggest several meetings between potential pairs and will work with you if requested to develop a written agreement.

We always work to create a win-win situation for both. Filling out a questionnaire carries no obligation. Most want a trial period, also a recommended strategy, so that both parties can get into or out of their agreement relatively easy. Consider a recent “link.” The entering farmer brought in cows and borrowed funds to purchase more. The landowner does the crop work and supplies the feed to the entering farmer. The milk check is split proportionate to the contributions of each party. If relationships remain favorable and the entering farmer continues to build equity, the opportunity to advance to the next level is an option. What is good about “working-in” or leasing situations for the entering farmer is that they have time to acquire the assets of the business over time.

PA Farm Link’s service is only as good as the owners and entering farmers in it. We are working for you! Help maintain Pennsylvania’s farming legacy by keeping Pennsylvanian’s farming. We hope you find the information you need on PA Farm Link’s website. If you have questions please call us at 717-664-7077, or email us at pafarmlink@dejazzd.com.