Farm Bill Discussion - Question #5

[kimhenry]

What incentives or assistance can or should agencies like USDA provide to young and beginning farmers that will encourage them to start or continue in production agriculture?

[cwhite]

Ideas developed by the State Officers attending the 2011 State Presidents’ Conference:

1. Help young farmers purchase land
* Create list of young farmers wanting to purchase land then match with older farmers who will receive a tax incentive when selling to a new farmer.
* Lower Capitol Gains to farmers selling their land to new farmers
2. Creation of mentoring program
3. Easement Programs
* Continuation of new farmer loans and youth loans
4. Crop Insurance Incentives
*Continuance of SURE program

[cwhite]

Ideas developed by the New Century Farmer participants attending the 2011 State Conference:

• Easier access to loans/grants
• Continue partnership between FFA and USDA
o 2-week short course on farm loans, opportunities for young producers
• More start up grants instead of loans
• Make self-employed insurance more affordable
o Too expensive to buy on our own
• Incentive for a land contract purchase, instead of going through bank
• Risk management assistance/strategies to make farming more attractive to young producers
• Simplify loan process for young farmers; sometimes comes too late to do anything/help
• Offer government crop advisors to farmers to help
• Ensure everyone knows small/beginning farmer loans/grants/opportunities
• Energy grants to benefit farmers who take advantage of conservation practices

[cwhite]

Ideas developed by the New Century Farmer - Alumni participants attending the 2011 State Conference:
• Old and young networking programs
o Loans and tax breaks for young framers to take over the retired generation
• Conservation Programs and Efficiency
• Zero Interest Loans
o Sustained Low interest rates
• Farming Transition Programs
• Loan regulation

[MHerod]

The USDA could help young farmers out by....
- Having some sort of rewards program for long time farmers
- Not having taxes on the land that the farmers buy
-Providing scholarships for the farmers dependents to go to college
-Beginning the young farmers shadowing the long time farmers sooner
- Insurance of payback of the farmers crops in-case of natural disaster

[Kose]

Beginning farmers could be helped by...

- Have a new and a more experienced farmer working together to help start them out and teach them, so its not trial and error.
- Young farmer loans
- Risk management

[hannah8138]

I think that farming and agriculture should be encouraged. Young farmers should have an easier access to loans and supported references for land management. Insurance should favor those new to agriculture. I think that scholarships can help encourage the idea in the important role of farming. I also think it wouldn't hurt to have more agriculture management courses to better prepare students for property.

[Lizzie Z]

The USDA could help new farmers by:

- Providing money to help purchase land/supplies and scholarships
-Check in on their progress everyonce and a while and offer assistance if needed
-Give a reward or some sort of tax break after so many years if their farm is in a good financial position.

[bunbun214]

Agriculture is a huge part of our everyday lives and many young people are oblivious to this fact. I think that the young farmer should begin with the experience sooner because many of us live in the city, where it is harder to get this experience. Scholarships can be created to encourage young and possibly future farmers. And adding more classes about agriculture and farming can help provide the young to purse further in agriculture.

[hammysam]

The USDA could help by giving out scholarships and awards to motive young kids to their full potential
Give them advice and help
Since lots of kids grow up in the city, they should be educated about agriculture first
Assign the kids older mentors

[AshyPoo 22]

beginning farmers could be helped by....

1. getting rewards for having a good farm
2.having help from an experienced farmer
3.zero intrest loans
4.motivate them
5.low intrest rates
6.agriculture management courses
7.check progress if in need of help give assistance

[midnightfarmer1]

The USDA can provide paid internships to encourage those new beginning farmers to get involved in the experiences they need. Also they can set it up so that the young new farmer can co-own a farm with an older, wiser farmer, who already knows the tricks of the trade. Also they can help the new farmer start their own farm, by giving them some kind of break, whether its on the land, animals, or equipment.

[Madi]

The USDA can help new/beginning farmers to stay in agriculture and to continue growing goods by letting them know how important their job is. Due to their job in agriculture world hunger is lessened. If they didn't do their job then America would have hungrier people therefore it is very important that the USDA encourages them in ways such as informing them of the good they do for out country.

[Chrissie]

The farm bill focuses mainly on nutrition. The article continues on talking about how the inform the people of the importance of agriculture. I think that farming and agriculture should be encouraged. Young farmers should have an easier access to loans and supported references for land management. Insurance should favor those new to agriculture. I think that scholarships can help encourage the idea in the important role of farming.

[farmforfood]

-Fund programs that train young farmers. Most training today is simply apprenticing on farms without formal education. Farmers will feel more competent to start farms if they have options for formal training (including business and science as well as practical hands-on training)
-A database matching land to farmers.
-encourage more land put into easement so it is saved from development and more likely to be farmed for free or cheap.
-more grants to start-up farmers
-low or no interest loans for start-up farmers
-affordable health insurance