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Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
More young people going into farming, but it's still few of them
At the Porter County Fair on Thursday, Ron Birky, of Morgan Township, said he retired as a farmer after 46 years. 'I was raised on a farm,' he said, but that's not a guarantee he would become a farmer. 'I was one of five kids, and I was the only one to go into farming,' he said. 'I always enjoyed it. That was really the only thing I wanted to do after high school,' Birky said. But becoming a farmer isn't easy. The average age of a Hoosier farmer is 56. Out of 94,282 producers in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2022 Census of Agriculture, only 1,962 were under age 25. Compared to the previous survey, conducted in 2017, there were more younger farmers going into the business, noted Todd Davis, chief economist at the Indiana Farm Bureau. 'I can say part of that is that coming out of the experience of 2020, there might be more people wanting to look at having a change,' he said. The COVID-19 pandemic has created long-lasting changes in society. 'I guess you can read into it younger people are seeing opportunities,' Davis said. 'My guess would be a lot of them would be what I call the specialty farmers, smaller scale, maybe taking advantage of farmers markets, selling to local people,' Davis said. That could include operating an on-farm store and more aggressively marketing products to local customers. 'It's a little more niche,' he said. Cody Boone, 17, a member of the Pleasant Pioneers 4-H club, raises cattle. 'I want to do something with farming. I'm not exactly sure what part,' he said. Boone is being raised on a farm, 'a lot of work all the time, especially during birthing season.' 'The farm is more my grandpa's,' he said. Cody's uncle has a farm in LaCrosse, so working for his uncle has possibilities, too. 'I definitely want to do something with them,' he said. Cody's father, Corey Boone, 42, married into farming. His father-in-law had a dairy farm, then raised feeder calves, then goats. 'I kind of got into helping him do all that,' Boone said, although his full-time job is as a collision repair technician, working on auto bodies. With a small hobby farm like his, 'you probably put in more than you get out,' Boone said. Along the way, he has learned a lot about farming. 'One of the first lambs we had, it got out and we chased it for over an hour. We chased that lamb for miles,' he said. Raising goats has been an adventure, too. 'They will climb on everything. They will eat everything,' including flowers in the garden, Boone said. Part of specialty crop production, Davis said, is being an entrepreneur and gauging what the market is. 'Some of those operations also get into a little agritourism,' like an apple orchard, Davis said, with a focus on fall tourism. 'Frankly, I think it was kind of a donut stand. That was the most popular part of the farm experience.' For the traditional corn-and-soybeans farmer, getting into the business has some barriers for a young person. Land is the first need. That means buying or leasing, renegotiating the terms of the lease every few years. 'If you want to grow your business, you have to keep expanding your land base,' Davis said. 'Commodity agriculture is known for having margins that are constantly shrinking,' he said. 'There's always a push for greater efficiency, cost management, using every input in the most efficient way possible.' Trying to support a family? You'd want off-farm income not only for the cash but also for the benefits, especially if you're raising children. Machinery is another big expense. Farmers can find used equipment or lease it, but that will require getting loans. 'Younger farmers may not have much of a credit history, and they may not have a lot of equity to help secure loans,' Davis said. That's where their parents or grandparents come in. They need a previous generation to help them get started. And, of course, they need to know how to farm. 'That's a prerequisite for every career, isn't it?' Where younger farmers might have an advantage over their counterparts nearing the end of their careers, Davis said, is that younger farmers tend to be more interested in pursuing technology and newer, innovative production practices. They're probably more comfortable with electronics, computerization and so forth. Farm Bureau provides scholarships for ag majors, primarily, to help them get started. 'There are college Farm Bureau chapters at Purdue, Huntington and Vincennes,' getting young farmers into Farm Bureau and the networking side of industry. 'They'll make more than just friends,' Davis said. They'll bounce ideas off each other, too. 'That's something that Farm Bureau helps foster in its younger farmers program.' Agriculture gets a lot of attention this time of year, what with county and state fairs allowing youngsters to show off the fruits of their labor. 'The county fair experience is really good for the younger generation,' Davis said, along with Future Farmers of America. 4-H, and living on a farm, helped Annie Martin's kids understand where meat really comes from – not just a grocery store but all the steps along the way, from farm to slaughterhouse, before reaching the grocery. Being in 4-H, 'it's responsibility all the way around. It's time with your family. It's time management,' she said. Martin also married into the farming business when she said, 'I do,' alongside husband Blake Martin. Their kids understand the rigors of farming. 'They have to be accountable at a really young age,' she said. Her son is planning to become a farmer. 'He's been able to drive a loader since he was 6,' Martin said. 'He has a work ethic that's pretty incredible.' He's heading to the state fair after winning the tractor driving competition at the county fair, the proud mom said. 'Farmers never really retire. He slowly learns to operate something new every year,' she said. Her daughter Brooklyn Martin, 11, a Morgan Sodbuster, said she wants to be a zoologist, not a farmer. 'I just like animals a lot, so I thought that would be fun.' Soon after Ron Birky graduated from high school, a distant cousin retired and leased his 165 acres to Birky. 'At one time, we had some hogs,' he said, but corn and soybeans were Birky's two staples. Birky was in 4-H for all 10 years. He's seen his kids go through 4-H, and now his grandchildren are going through it. The oldest grandchild, now entering fifth grade, thinks he wants to be a farmer. 'We still own 600 acres,' Birky said, but the machinery was all sold at auction two years ago. If that grandchild goes through with his current career choice, it won't be easy. 'Boy, it's tough,' Birky said, for a young person to become a farmer. 'There's 600 acres that we own, and that's half the battle.' But it's a fierce battle. 'If you're not raised in a farming family, it's virtually impossible' to go into farming, Birky said. 'The capital investment is unbelievable,' he said, with combines and other machinery exceeding $1 million to buy new. Then there's the risk involved. This year hasn't had much rain. 'I don't need to go to Vegas,' Birky said, because farming is its own gamble. Birky retired at 67, his dad at 80 or so. 'He basically didn't retire, I just took over everything,' Birky said. Young 4-H'ers are considering their options. Norah Grimmer, 13, of Valparaiso, tended Maverick, her grand champion steer, at the fair on Thursday. She's planning to study animal science at the University of Notre Dame to become a veterinarian. Elizabeth White, 16, a member of the Center Wildcats, plans to attend Valparaiso University. 'I'm trying to decide between mechanical and electrical engineering,' she said. After that comes law school. 'We have a small hobby farm,' White said, raising poultry and rabbits along with a few sheep not exhibited at the fair. '4-H has really, really raised my confidence,' she said. 'I know a lot of veterinarians, and they have to deal with a lot of attitudes.' Alexis Leek, 18, of Morgan Township, is a member of the Hustling Hoosiers club. 'I was thinking about working with horses,' she said, in the criminal justice field. That involves riding horses in parades and other events, not putting the handcuffs on felonious equines. 4-H 'definitely helped me with people skills and talking with people I don't know,' she said. Heather Cox, of Morgan Township, aged out of 4-H but was master showman last year, she said while visiting the horses – and people – in the horse barn. She's at Purdue University, where she's thinking of studying animal behavior. Like Leek, Cox said 4-H has polished her people skills. Now she's passing the torch to others. Shiloh Otey, 15, a member of the Hustling Hoosiers, is exhibiting horses, rabbits and poultry, and helping her sister with goats. 'I want to be a veterinarian,' she said. 'I like working with bigger animals.' Leek and Cox said although their career paths don't include farming, they wouldn't rule out raising animals on a small farm when they're older.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indiana farmers celebrate 2025 legislative wins, but key transition tax credit falls short
Indiana farmers had several legislative wins during the 2025 session, but budget constraints stymied some proposals. () Property tax tweaks and a new online portal were among this year's legislative wins for Hoosier farmers. But a high-priority proposal to help retiring farmers transition land to a new generation of growers failed to cross the finish line in the final days of the session. Rural-focused portions of Gov. Mike Braun's first agenda pledged to 'cut red tape,' strengthen the agricultural economy and protect Indiana farmland from encroaching development. The Republican governor had two early successes: property tax relief and a new online farmer portal. Baked into Senate Enrolled Act 1, a hotly-debated property tax measure, were changes to how farmland is assessed for property taxes — increasing the capitalization rate in the farmland formula from 8% to 9%, and adding a new assessed value deduction. Braun maintained those changes will bring at least some relief for farmers. Agricultural lobbying groups agreed, in part, but said more works need to be done on property taxes, specifically. 'While this will provide relief to Hoosier farmers on their real property taxes the next couple of years, taxes on other agricultural infrastructure like farm buildings and permanent structures are expected to increase due to shifts within the tax base,' said Andy Tauer, Indiana Farm Bureau's executive director of public policy. 'Our members have seen property tax bills go up 60% over the past three years, while net farm incomes have gone down. So, we need to return to the Statehouse in the coming years to craft a more comprehensive and sustainable solution for farmers.' Another win came in House Enrolled Act 1149, the first bill signed into law by Braun. The measure, authored by Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer, creates an online 'one-stop-shop' portal for farmers to access funding opportunities, regulatory information and state agency contacts. 'Hoosier farmers feed America and power our economy, and this bill makes their important job a little bit easier,' the governor told reporters at a Statehouse bill signing ceremony. Braun's plan additionally called for the creation of a farmland preservation task force, as well as upgrades in rural communities, including roads, broadband and water systems. Members of Indiana Farm Bureau's water task force in 2024 identified a 'gap' in protections for agriculture and significant groundwater well users who utilize irrigation or need water for livestock, Tauer said. Under earlier state law, those users were responsible for proving any loss of water and were liable in court. Farm bureau leadership said the lobbying group worked with Republican Sen. Sue Glick, of LaGrange, to craft Senate Enrolled Act 28, which establishes a reporting and investigation process managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to fix those issues and ensure that agriculture is protected in cases when usable water is unavailable. Braun signed the legislation in mid-April. 'Although we were successful in getting our water policy signed, we did not get the property tax relief that Hoosier farmers really need,' said Indiana Farm Bureau President Randy Kron. 'While we are appreciative of the change in the farmland formula, it's incredibly important that we advocate for more tax relief for our members in the future and we vow to do just that. Other agricultural sector bills that passed and were supported by Indiana Farm Bureau and other lobbying groups included: Senate Enrolled Act 461: Clarifies the responsibilities of the Indiana Grain Buyers and Warehouse Licensing Agency, ensuring better compliance and support for struggling licensees. House Enrolled Act 1012: Requires law enforcement to inform landowners of any damage to their property resulting from motor vehicle accidents. House Enrolled Act 1461: Provides additional funding and tax options for local government infrastructure projects, benefiting rural communities. Axed from the final draft of the state's next two-year budget, however, was a tax credit to support land transitions. The proposed 'retiring farmers tax credit,' originally introduced by Culp, would have offered up to $67,000 in tax credits to landowners who sell or lease farmland or agricultural equipment to beginning farmers, helping ease barriers to land access and encouraging transitions to a younger generation of farmers. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signs first bill into law, creating new online portal for farmers Claire Shipp, Midwest policy manager for the American Farmland Trust, said the policy was based on successful models in Minnesota, Iowa and other states. With more than 34% of Hoosier farmers now over the age of 65, Indiana is facing 'a major shift in farmland ownership,' Shipp said. Many retiring farmers want to sell or lease to a beginning farmer but can't afford to turn down higher offers from developers or institutional buyers, she added. The tax credit would have provided an incentive 'to preserve Indiana's agricultural legacy, support rural economies, and ensure farmland stays in productive use for future generations.' Although the tax credit was included in Braun's proposed budget in February, it was removed by GOP budget writers in the House. A Senate version of the state budget later added a 'beginning farmer tax credit,' modeled after a similar program in Ohio, but was ultimately dropped in final budget negotiations. Caitlin Smith, Indiana Farm Bureau's director of policy engagement, said that while her group supported the tax credit, budget pressures ultimately derailed the proposal. She pointed to the state's April fiscal forecast, which revealed $2 billion less in revenue that expected, prompting lawmakers to trim provisions late in the session. Keeping farmland in the hands of farmers is not just a private benefit — it is a public good. – Claire Shipp, Midwest policy manager for the American Farmland Trust 'Indiana Farm Bureau's two main policy priorities this year were to provide tax relief and water protections,' Smith said. 'While we supported the governor's agenda initiative, as well as Rep. Culp's bill as filed, ultimately those didn't make it across the finish line due to budget constraints. After the April forecast was released, legislative leadership made tough decisions to close the budget gap and that was one of the items that fell off.' Smith noted that the goal of the credit was to help encourage and foster young farmers buying land to start their businesses. 'We know land prices are skyrocketing while the farm economy is on a downward turn, so this credit would be a tool in the toolbox to foster the next generation taking over farms,' she said. 'We're supportive of those initiatives, but we were really focused on asking and advocating for tax relief this year.' Shipp said the American Farmland Trust plans to advocate for similar legislation again and is working with Culp and other lawmakers to revisit the proposal in 2026. 'Keeping farmland in the hands of farmers is not just a private benefit — it is a public good,' she continued. 'When young farmers have access to land, they contribute to local economies, bolster rural communities, and continue the agricultural heritage that sustains Indiana.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Historic farms in Indiana sought for rural preservation award
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Officials with Indiana Landmarks and the Indiana Farm Bureau say they are welcoming nominations for the 2025 John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation. Officials explain the award recognizes the preservation and continued agricultural use of historic farms and farm buildings in Indiana. Since it was established in 1992, owners of more than 30 historic farms across the state have been honored with the award. Old Fashioned Garden, a Miami County farm southeast of Peru, won the award in 2024. Mine collapse damages homes in Chandler Indiana Landmarks and the Indiana Farm Bureau says anyone, including farm owners, can submit a nomination for the Arnold Award, which will be presented during the Celebration of Agriculture at the Indiana State Fair in August. The nomination asks for: A brief history of the farm and description of its significant historic structures and features, such as the farmhouse, barns, agricultural outbuildings and landscape elements. A description of how the farm's historic agricultural structures continue to be used in day-to-day farming operations and how they have been preserved or adapted. High-res digital photographs of the farm and its preserved historic features. Historic images are also welcome. Honda moves production from Mexico to Indiana Officials say the award winner receives an outdoor marker and feature coverage in 'Indiana Preservation' magazine. People can submit nominations for the Arnold Award here. Deadline for nominations is April 15. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
