Every spring, agricultural organizations across Missouri make an important investment in the future by awarding scholarships to young people pursuing degrees in agriculture. These scholarships help students study agronomy, animal science, agricultural education, agribusiness and the many other disciplines that make modern agriculture possible.

But as we think about the future of Missouri agriculture, we should also broaden the definition of an agricultural scholarship recipient.

What about the high school graduate who isn’t headed to college because he or she is headed straight to the farm? What about the young person who wants to take over the cattle operation, farm rented acres, build a livestock enterprise, or eventually establish an operation of their own?

Those young people are pursuing careers in agriculture, too. Missouri agriculture needs young people pursuing many different paths — including those willing to build their careers on the farm. And they deserve consideration for investment by the agricultural community.

The 2022 Census of Agriculture puts the average age of a Missouri producer at 57.9 years old. At the same time, Missouri had more than 46,000 producers with 10 or fewer years of farming experience. Their average age was 46.1. Only about 9.6% of Missouri producers were under 35.

The numbers tell us that younger people are entering agriculture. They also tell us that there is an opportunity, and a need, to help more young people get started. We know that getting started is not easy.

For a young person beginning a career in agriculture, the list of expenses can be daunting: land, livestock, machinery, buildings, fencing, seed, feed, insurance, technology and working capital. Even someone who has grown up on a farm and understands the work can face an enormous financial hurdle when it is time to establish an operation or take on additional enterprises.

Missouri’s agricultural economy is large and diverse. A 2021 economic contribution study found that agriculture, forestry and related industries contributed $93.7 billion in output and supported more than 456,000 jobs in Missouri. Those numbers represent more than economic activity. They represent livelihoods, businesses and communities that will depend on the next generation of Missourians choosing to build careers in agriculture.

Agriculture is known for supporting our communities, and that includes the bright young minds we support through scholarships. These students head out each August to pursue dreams of becoming veterinarians, agronomists, agricultural engineers, teachers, lenders or agribusiness owners. Some will leave Missouri and return years later with a new skill set. Meanwhile, some kids dream of graduating from high school on Friday and going to work on the farm Monday morning.

Both are agricultural career paths.

A college degree is a solid investment for many agricultural careers. But the classroom is not the only place where agricultural knowledge is gained. For many young producers, the farm itself is the classroom, a place where skills are learned through experience, mentorship and responsibility.

There is a strong case for investing in young people who have deep roots and a desire to build their lives and operations in Missouri’s rural communities. They know the land. They know their neighbors. They understand the responsibility that comes with caring for livestock and natural resources. They have watched their parents and grandparents make decisions based on weather, markets, input costs and a long-term view of the operation. They understand what it means to be part of a rural community.

That knowledge has value. So does the willingness to put it to work.

Not every farm kid will stay on the family operation. Some will pursue a degree, spread their wings elsewhere or decide there simply isn’t room on the operation. Others will create their own opportunity — by renting ground, buying livestock, working alongside another producer or building an agricultural business of their own.

When a young person says, “I want to farm,” we should take that ambition seriously and do everything in our power to support them.

Agricultural leaders are uniquely positioned to support our youth with a dream to farm or ranch. A scholarship of $500 or $5,000 will not purchase a farm. It won’t solve the capital challenge facing a beginning producer. But it can provide something just as important: a first step. It can help a young producer with a business plan buy livestock or feed, put a down payment on a piece of equipment, build fence, pursue technical training, invest in technology or create a little breathing room during the first year of an on-farm agricultural career.

Whether bound for college or the farm, a scholarship sends a message far more important than the dollars and cents. It says, “We believe in you. We believe agriculture needs you. And we want to help you build a future here.” That message matters.

Equipping young people to find their place on the farm will strengthen our farms and rural communities. When a young person puts down roots on the farm, that investment reaches far beyond the operation. It means another family living in the community, another customer at local businesses, another volunteer at the fire department, another parent in the school system and another generation invested in the future of rural Missouri.

This is why I believe agricultural organizations should consider expanding scholarships to also include young people who are pursuing agriculture directly after high school; not as an alternative to supporting students headed to college, but as an additional way to invest in the future of agriculture.

Agricultural scholarships can recognize the student headed to college and the student ready to begin an agricultural career on the farm. There is no single path into agriculture, and our investments should reflect that diversity. The goal is to make sure every young person who wants a future in agriculture has a path, and the support to take that first step.

We want to see young people farming Missouri’s fields, raising livestock, and managing successful agricultural businesses for generations to come.

If we want the next generation on Missouri farms tomorrow, let’s invest in them today.

Discover more from The Missouri Times

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.