Northfield farmer testifies before Senate Ag Committee

Last week, four area farmers traveled to the nation’s capital to talk about how the agricultural industry can explore opportunities to support new and emerging farmers.

According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, the average age of a producer in the United States is now 58, and in Minnesota it is 57. The subcommittee will highlight potential solutions to remove barriers for producers hoping to enter farming or ranching, such as land access and access to capital.

Four witnesses offered remarks to the senators, including Tessa Parks, from W.T. Farms, National Farmers Union of Northfield.

“Though I am new to farming and several generations removed from the farm, my connection to and love for agriculture is strong,” said Parks, owner and operator of W.T. Farms in Northfield. “But beginning farmers like me face significant barriers to entry into agriculture, including a farm safety net that favors larger and more established farms, barriers to accessing land and capital, climate change, and ongoing corporate consolidation in agriculture that limits our opportunities and diminishes competition in the marketplace.”

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, chairwoman of the Senate Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade, led the hearing.

“The average age of a producer in the United States is 58, and in Minnesota, it’s 57. And, of course, this number increases every year. That in a nutshell is why we need to invest in the next generation of farmers, so this country’s agriculture production continues to work,” said Sen. Smith. “This is a matter of national security, food security, and the strength and vitality of rural America. Agriculture is a driving force in America’s economy.”