A new web site launched by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, in conjunction with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, links the next generation of farmers to a variety of online resources, including those that provide financial assistance to new farm owners and operators.
Over the past few decades, the average age for U.S. principal farm operators has increased. The 2002 Census of Agriculture reports an average age of 55.3 years old for U.S. farm operators, with an increasing percentage of farmers aged 65 and older.
According to this Census, in 2002, roughly 20 percent of Nebraska farm operators were over 65 years old, while just 5.5 percent were 35 years or younger. Since agriculture and farming are important to Nebraska’s economy, it is vital that young farm owners and operators have the resources they need to develop their farms into viable operations.
Since the site is just getting off the ground, it is too early to tell which features will prove to be the most popular, but for now, NebraskaBeginningFarmer.org is a one-stop resource that links farmers to state and federal financial resources, as well as other organizations involved in agriculture and farming.