An Age-Old Tale of Graying Farmers

From the Gristmill, the first of 5 pieces on farm bill issues:

WHY PUBLIC POLICIES ARE NEEDED

• The average age of farmers and ranchers is increasing. USDA estimated that in 2004 about 4 percent of America's farmers were under 35 years of age, while nearly one-fourth were 65 years or older. The fastest growing cohort of farmers and ranchers are those 70 years or older, while the fastest declining is those 25 years old or younger.
• Over the next two decades an estimated 400 million acres of U.S. agricultural land will be passed on to heirs or sold. USDA estimates that currently over one-third of farmland is owned by landowners over the age of 65.

What the writer fails to realize, or at least mention, is that this is a continuing story. I remember doing a prototype system in Sherman County, KS in 1992--the CED had the ages of his farmers and the distribution was similar to this. I suspect back in Ontario County, NY (home of some ancestors) in 1840 the same story held. What happens is that those who are able to buy land live out their lives as farmers, the younger generation mostly leaves the farm, meaning the remaining farms grow bigger. The only time this changes is when the type of farming changes. For example, Lancaster county, PA used to be wheat country (back before the Revolution). It became mostly dairy and now I'd guess it's mostly tourist and truck, with some remaining dairy. Tourist farms are likely much smaller than a dairy (at least a dairy operated by non-Amish--the Mennonite tradition throws all my generalizations into a cocked hat).