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The amazing thing is the median age of farmers in the USA is ~56. In the next ten years over half are retire-able. Who is going to take over? Corporations or th
by rb808 9y ago
The amazing thing is the median age of farmers in the USA is ~56. In the next ten years over half are retire-able. Who is going to take over? Corporations or the current immigrant workers? Its a huge change for most of the country.
- falcolas 9y agoThis assumes they are able to retire. Given the financial outlooks presented in the article, I think retiring is not in the books for these farmers.
- roel_v 9y agoWell then what about 10 years later when they start keeling over? At some point, the music stops.
- adventured 9y agoFarming will do what it has been doing for two centuries in the US: leap forward in automation. The technology is all primed to cause an extraordinary increase in productivity. Meanwhile the US population growth is trending toward zero. Odds are, the US can lose half its farmers over the next 30 years and still increase net food production to match very modest population growth.
- gozur88 9y agoThis isn't a new trend. In 1820 72% of Americans worked in "farm occupations". Today it's less than 2%.