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2003
Table of Contents |
“The future
ain’t what it used to be.” Yogi Berra
Traditionally, farmers in the U.S. have owned the land they farm. In the last
forty years or so, economic pressures have necessitated a shift from this model
to one of control of the land through other means. Leasing and renting arrangements
have replaced land ownership as the primary source of land for many farms. It
is no longer feasible for most farmers to own enough land to have an economically
viable unit. Land ownership for the most part does not reflect the true value
of land relative to its income producing potential. Staying in business requires
that we farm more land to make up for shrinking per acre margins or seek out
other ways to increase profits through value added or vertical integration of
the farming enterprise. The importance of acquiring new leases and maintaining
existing ones is critical in developing a successful farming business.
Direct seed farmers face obstacles that can make it difficult to rent a good, stable land base. Farmers that use direct seeding and other conservation farming methods are often perceived as being motivated by circumstances that run counter to what many would call sound farming practices. The direct seeding or no-till movement represents a radical departure from traditional farming methods. It is important to keep this in mind when examining our farming business, and evaluate how non-traditional farming methods may affect existing and future relationships with the people who own and control the land.
The Demographics
of Farmland Ownership
In examining a farm business’ ability to maintain and acquire farm leases
it is important to consider who owns the land. A recent USDA survey shows that
rented land now comprises 418.5 million acres in the U.S. accounting for 45.6
percent of all land in farms. The amount of rented farmland has increased 10.7
percent since 1988. More than half of the owners of that rented farmland are
65 years or older. An astonishing 47 percent of the rented farmland in the U.S.
is owned by people over 70 years of age. More are females than males, but most
rented land is held in joint ownership. About 30 percent are retired farmers,
and a large percentage grew up on farms, but chose other occupations and moved
to urban areas.
The demographics of farmland ownership in the U.S. present unique opportunities and problems for direct seed farmers in particular. Understanding the cultural and societal influences that shape the way we view the agricultural industry need to be considered. In examining the largest group of farmland owners, people over seventy years of age, we need to understand historical and cultural influences that shaped their lives and how that might affect their decisions about who farms their land. How did the Great Depression and World War II affect their value systems? How do they perceive change, and do new farming methods represent more risk in how they view the income earning potential of their farmland? Most farmers of this generation lived through an era that saw relatively small advances in technology compared to the advances seen in the last twenty years. In fact, very little has changed over the last several thousand years in terms of the techniques used in cultivating and planting. Mechanization has made possible huge advances in productivity and work efficiency to be sure, but the basic operations of plowing and tilling the soil have not changed significantly. Religious and cultural influences have shaped the way most people view the occupation of farming. It can easily be argued that direct seeding is the most significant departure from traditional farming methods in the ten thousand year history of agriculture!
New Technology
Versus Conventional Thinking
History affords us opportunities to view different events and circumstances
and relate them to current conditions. Agriculture has witnessed several events
in its history that represent huge shifts in productivity and efficiency. The
Green Revolution and mechanization brought about by the Industrial Age were
two of the most significant benchmark changes. More recently the advancement
of GMO technology represents a fundamental change in how people view agriculture’s
role in feeding the world. These changes are always met with resistance and
skepticism, but over time sound new ideas coupled with technology usually win
out in the marketplace, and in the arena of public opinion. Conventional thinking
becomes obsolete and is replaced with a new set of norms. In agriculture, change
is usually incremental and slow. The evolution of the plow is a good example
of change that has happened over centuries not years.
As farmers we must also keep in mind that the very ideas that make some people
uncomfortable, represent opportunities for others. Many people view farming
as a potentially harmful activity in terms of its impact on the environment.
Other people with backgrounds in business might view new, more economically
efficient farming methods as being superior to the old. Communicating the economic
and environmental benefits that direct seeding represents to the people who
own the farmland has never been more important. As these new farming methods
become more mainstream, a larger percentage of landowners will recognize the
benefits.
It is critically important that progressive farmers that recognize the benefits of new conservation farming methods communicate these advancements to the public at large. We must emphasize how reducing soil erosion affects water quality and fish and wildlife habitat. We must point out that in the new global economy, only the efficient farming operations will be able to compete in the world marketplace. Farmers at this conference are the catalysts that are making it happen. In the years ahead, history will look favorably on the sweeping changes occurring in agriculture today. We as farmers should be very proud of our contribution to that end.
References
Alexander, Bevin. Robert E. Lee’s Civil War. 1998.
Carter. Top Soil and Civilization.
Curwen, Cecil and Gudmund Hatt. Plough and Pasture: The Early History of Farming.
Horne and McDermitt. The Next Green Revolution. 2001.
Jacks, G. V. and R.O. Whyte. Vanishing Lands. 1939.
The New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition. 1970
 Contact
us: Hans Kok, (208)885-5971
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