Investing and protecting the next generation to enter agriculture or continue to operate family farms has been a long-standing priority for the Farm Bureau.
And encouragingly, the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2022 Census of Agriculture reveals an encouraging trend: the number of new farmers has surpassed 1 million. This was an 11% increase compared to 2017.
However, with this growth, the average age of farmers continues to rise, reaching 58 years. This highlights the urgent need for initiatives and partnerships aimed at engaging and supporting young people in agriculture. This is crucial for the future of the agricultural sector.
At the Farm Bureau, we believe that leadership development starts early. Young farmer and rancher programs at the professional and university levels are just one example.
Through a partnership with the National 4-H Council. National FFA organization. Minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. In The Future of American Agriculture, we not only strengthen agriculture for the future, we empower the agricultural leaders of tomorrow.
As I travel around the country, I am continually impressed by the leaders that emerge from these organizations. They are trailblazers, paving the way to new frontiers and developing today's next generation of leadership.
Our individual relationships with each of these organizations represent an investment in the future of agriculture.
Each has their own unique approach, and together we work with a diverse group of leaders who generate new ideas and pioneer innovative solutions to current and future challenges facing our sector. We are developing a group.
We partner with all four organizations through individual conferences, mutual event participation, speaker exchanges, facilitating AFBF internship opportunities, and cross-promoting key initiatives and resources.
We also partner with each organization's specific projects and initiatives. 4-H leverages national staff and leadership expertise to sponsor agricultural education experiences at national 4-H conferences, provide agricultural literacy materials to educators, and serve as judges for competitive events. .
We worked with MANRRS to develop the Farm Bureau Fellowship Program, sponsored by CoBank. These Farm Bureau fellows, undergraduate and graduate student MANNRRS members will receive one year of Farm Bureau membership and free registration to her 2024 YF&R Leadership Conference.
We work with FFA to sponsor leadership development events and booths at national FFA conventions. We also collaborate with National FFA staff throughout the year to provide valuable DC experiences to FFA members, National FFA officers, and alumni.
Finally, our latest partnership with AFA focuses on major training and conference participation. The Department of Agriculture can network directly with these young agricultural leaders by providing speakers at the AFA Policy Institute and Leadership Conference and by sponsoring the AFA AllianceX Alumni Event and his AFA Leadership Conference.
Additionally, each year we invite middle school and high school members of 4-H, FFA, and Jr. MANNRRS to participate in the Youth Leadership Program at the American Farm Bureau Convention. This program provides students with the opportunity to connect with farmers and ranchers across the United States, receive leadership training, and learn about different parts of agriculture.
We are so grateful for each of these relationships and look forward to watching each continue to grow. Each organization has a unique approach, but the mission is the same: to strengthen agriculture for the future.
By investing in our relationships and building our leadership pipeline, we foster an environment where the next generation can take agriculture to new heights and ensure a sustainable food, fiber and fuel supply for generations to come. can do.
