Do you want your kids to farm?

Gredig: From the Fencerow

Do you want your kids to farm?

As a farmer and father with a young son, it’s a question that has started to creep into the back of my mind. The old saying is, “farmers farm for their sons and daughters”. The inference is that for a family farm to succeed, each generation builds onto what came before and passes it on in better shape. This pattern has served us well for the past 150 years or so, but is it an out of date way of thinking or does this approach still have merit?

I never felt any pressure to come home to the farm. I was encouraged to find summer jobs off the farm to get some exposure to other ways of making a living. I laid a few million yards of sod (well, it seemed like millions) for a landscaping company for a couple of summers, harvested tobacco, and worked at a golf course. After high school, I went to university chasing a degree in agricultural economics. At home, the message was, if you want to come home after university, the farm will be here.

When I took a job in the big city as a policy researcher after graduation, I could tell that my parents still held out hope that I would farm, but either way, they were moving forward and the farm was evolving.

After a couple of years of fun in the city the light bulb went on and I knew I wanted to give it a shot at home. It was an easy decision that took 24 years to become apparent. I guess I learned from my parents that it’s important to encourage the next generation to consider all the opportunities available to them, including agriculture. And this could mean primary production or a job related to agriculture.

By the time I came home, the hog operation had been shuttered and a progressive apple orchard was added as a new enterprise. If I had shown interest earlier, there is a good chance that there would have been more land and more pigs, but there would also have been more pressure to follow that model. Because my parents had moved forward with enterprises that were right for them, there was room for me to start my own direction when I started farming.

Now I am the farmer with a kid. Some days the boy thinks living on a farm is the best ever (go-carts rock!). Other days, he wonders why we can’t live in town where the kids play street hockey every day after school! I think I was the same way.

Some people say the economics of agriculture today make it very difficult for farmers to keep the farm viable and available for the next generation. I think this has always been true, but I agree that high asset values make it more difficult for some to forego cashing in, especially if there are numerous siblings that must be considered in succession planning.

I guess at this early stage I’ll do my best to be a positive influence and to keep as many options open as possible, both for myself and my son. I’m not as concerned about building a certain scale or kind of operation. My experience is that the next generation should be encouraged to consider new enterprises and new approaches.

What do you think? Do you want your kids to farm? What are the opportunities/challenges?

Peter Gredig
Farms.com Media
Peter.Gredig@Farms.com

Follow me on Twitter. I’m Agwag.

This commentary is for informational purposes only. The opinions and comments expressed herein represent the opinions of the author--they do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Farms.com. This commentary is not intended to provide individual advice to anyone. Farms.com will not be liable for any errors or omissions in the information, or for any damages or losses in any way related to this commentary.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Robert Hillman on December 13, 2011 at 11:43am

because of selfishness

the dad should have said NO

the dad should have been a man and done what he wanted

Roadrunner said:

I was talking to a friend the other day....the son wants to farm but the challenges of succession between the 3 generations of the family made it impossible....they needed to sell the land and operation to satisfy the siblings...still bitter feelings between everyone.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Robert Hillman on December 13, 2011 at 11:45am

we just want to farm one hundred acers

there is three of us to work full time

we will live in the country and work for free for ten years for a farmer that will help us get our own hundred acers

i can make 25 thousand a year with a hundred acers and thats all we want

▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

‹ Previous
1
2
Next ›

RSS

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Andrew Coyne: Canada’s Productivity Crisis is Now a National Security Issue

At the CrossRoads Crop Conference, the Globe and Mail columnist said slowing growth, aging demographics, and weak competition leave Canada dangerously exposed in an era of economic coercion. Andrew Coyne didn’t open with small talk. Speaking today at the CrossRoads Crop Conference in Edmonton, the Globe and Mail columnist said Canada is facing the “most serious economic and security crisis” of his lifetime — one that combines long-running domestic weaknesses with a rapidly shifting global order. Coyne framed the moment as a collision between two trends: Canada’s slowing economic growth and aging population, and a world where trade and security commitments are less reliable than Canadians have assumed. In that environment, he argued, Canada’s historic advantage — living next to the world’s largest economy and military — can quickly become a vulnerability. A foundational assumption is cracking Coyne’s core message was that Canada has built decades of policy — economic, fiscal, defence

Building a Herd That Works: EPDs, Genomics and Smart Genetic Investments

Julia and Robert operate a commercial cow-calf operation with a strong focus on making informed, strategic management and breeding decisions. They market all calves at weaning and have a goal to increase weaning weights by 20 pounds without sacrificing calving ease, which remains a key priority for both cow health and labour requirements. This year, they are looking to purchase one or two new herd sires. One afternoon at the kitchen table, coffee in hand, they were flipping through the latest bull sale catalogues full of glossy photos when they heard footsteps on the front porch. It was their trusted neighbour and fellow commercial cow-calf producer, Andy. “Bull shopping?” Andy commented when he saw the catalogues. “Trying to,” Julia replied with a puzzled glance, tapping a page covered in circled bull images. “Mind if I take a look?” asked Andy. Julia slid the catalogue over. “Sure. See what you think of our selections so far.” Andy was silent for a moment as he flipped through

Canola and Biofuels: Share Your Perspective

Canola oil is an excellent feedstock for biofuel production, offering farmers an additional domestic market opportunity for their canola crop. The national and provincial canola grower associations have come together to deepen our understanding of canola farmers’ views and knowledge about the connections between canola and biofuels. We’re interested in learning how farmers see the opportunities and challenges related to this growing market. Your feedback will help our organizations better inform policy discussions and strengthen our engagement with you. The survey takes about five minutes to complete, and all responses are anonymous. There are no right or wrong answers – we simply want to hear your perspective. Thank you for your participation! This survey is conducted in partnership with Canadian Canola Growers Association, BC Grain Producers, Alberta Canola, SaskOilseeds, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, and Ontario Canola Growers Association.

AAFC cuts hitting seven research sites

Canada’s ag sector is expressing concern over the full scope of cuts coming to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Ag included in PM’s affordability measures

Producers can fully write off some greenhouses

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service