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The average American farmer is so old that he's practically a boomer
{Edited to add the link to the article, duh.}
SUCCESS ·AGRICULTURE
The average American farmer is so old they’re practically a boomer
BYDAVID R. BUYS, JOHN J. GREEN, MARY NELSON ROBERTSON AND THE CONVERSATION
October 12, 2023 at 7:00 AM EDT
On Oct. 12, National Farmers’ Day, Americans honor the hardworking people who keep the world fed and clothed.
But the farming labor force has a problem: It’s aging rapidly.
The average American farmer is 57 and a half years old, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s up sharply from 1978, when the figure was just a smidge over 50.
As researchers who study well-being in rural areas, we wanted to understand this trend and its implications. So we dug into the data.
Amber waves of graying
We found that the average age of farmers was fairly consistent across the country, even though the general population’s age varies quite a bit from place to place.
{snip}
The average American farmer is so old they’re practically a boomer
BYDAVID R. BUYS, JOHN J. GREEN, MARY NELSON ROBERTSON AND THE CONVERSATION
October 12, 2023 at 7:00 AM EDT
On Oct. 12, National Farmers’ Day, Americans honor the hardworking people who keep the world fed and clothed.
But the farming labor force has a problem: It’s aging rapidly.
The average American farmer is 57 and a half years old, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s up sharply from 1978, when the figure was just a smidge over 50.
As researchers who study well-being in rural areas, we wanted to understand this trend and its implications. So we dug into the data.
Amber waves of graying
We found that the average age of farmers was fairly consistent across the country, even though the general population’s age varies quite a bit from place to place.
{snip}
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