ICYMI: Farm Bureau President Emphasizes Challenges for Aging Farm Workforce

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall testified Wednesday on the challenges facing agriculture, as more farmers reach retirement age while fewer young farmers are entering the profession. Mr. Duvall testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging.

President Duvall addressed a wide-ranging list of issues, and said it’s crucial to ensure farmers can survive tough economic times to pass their farms to the next generation. Almost 40% of all farmers are at or beyond retirement age, while just 8% of farmers are under the age of 35. “As I travel to farms across this country, I see a lot of gray hair, and while the wisdom of older generations is critical, we must ensure that we are making the way for young and beginning farmers to fill our boots.” Watch the video clip here.

After his opening statement, President Duvall took questions from lawmakers, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who asked about the struggles of keeping up with increases to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, which sets the hourly rate for H-2A guestworkers. President Duvall responded, “The first thing we need to do is for Congress to freeze the AEWR wage rate so farmers don’t have to take another increase. And, give us time to work on this H-2A program so we can make a workable program for our employees and for the farmer. The way we’re going now with the wage rate going up, we’re going to price ourselves out of farming. We’re not going to be able to pay the wage rate and stay in farming and provide those jobs. It’s gotta be done and it’s gotta be done quickly.” Watch the video clip here.

Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) asked about the mental health crisis in rural America, and what role Congress should play in expanding resources. President Duvall said, “With all the pressures of the farm, I realized what those pressures do to a man. Us old farmers, we’re kind of crusty, we sit in the back of the room and think we’re not supposed to talk about our feelings, but that’s the worst thing you can do. The stigma that goes along with it and the embarrassment people think they experience is not really there. Really and truly, all they need to do is open up and talk. It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to not talk about it. That’s why we went and started our Farm State of Mind program.” Watch the video clip here.

When Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) asked about farmers being forced to sell farmland to pay estate taxes or other bills, President Duvall replied, “If they’re forced to sell that land and it comes out of production, it never goes back into production. There’s so much competition now for land, it prevents young farmers and beginning farmers that want to go into agriculture, God help them, have a difficult time finding that land to do that. Availability of land, availability of money, loans, is one of the biggest stumbling blocks young farmers, beginning farmers have going into the business.” Watch the video clip here.

On the issue of trade, Committee Chair Rick Scott (R-Fla.) asked if America should pursue new international trade deals. President Duvall replied, “We have to try to improve our trade policy. What we’ve done in the past has not worked. We’ve not regained some of the markets we lost in the trade war eight years ago. So, we need trade deals. We need access. We need certainty. You give our farmers a level playing field and they’ll compete with anyone on earth.” Watch the video clip here.

View the entire hearing here.

Read the AFBF testimony as prepared here.