The Rural Voice, 1981-04, Page 44THE YOUNG FARMER
Yes, it's still possible
to start farming
BY ADRIAN VOS
In bygone days. when a young man
started farming. he usually bought a 100
or even a 50 acre farm. From this
beginning he built and gradually added
more land. A growing family demanded
more income and they helped provide this
by working side by side with the parents.
Then, when the children began leaving
home, the work often became too much
for the aging parents and the land was
sold off again, piece by piece.
Usually the original 100 acres was left
for the eldest son to begin the cycle all
over again.
Similar beginnings still happen today.
but are becoming rare. Most prospective
farmers have a fair -to -good education and
have alternate income opportunities
available to them. It is also extremely
difficult to save enough for a down
payment on the farm, to buy equipment.
and to borrow money for seed. fertilizer
and livestock.
It is a tribute to young farmers of today
that the proportion of college graduates
returning to the farm is steadily in-
creasing.
To find out how young farmers
managed to get their start in agriculture.
the Rural Development Outreach Project
(RDOP) run from the University of
Guelph and financed by the Kellogg
Foundation. asked Ontario's ag. reps.
area coordinators and farm management
specialists about their experiences.
In addition the researchers. .lean Down
and Dr. Tony Fuller, questioned 64 young
farmers in Huron and Northumberland
Counties
It turned out that one-third had post
secondary education. not all of it in
agriculture. It would have been in-
teresting to see if those with additional
education received a higher return over
those with only elementary school
education and on-the-job training.
It is significant 'the procedure used by
old-time farmers -gradually building up
the farm -is still going on for a great
number of young families.
Fully two-thirds of farmers questioned
in Huron and Northumberlandhad
learned skills and accumulated money off
the farm. They found some knowledge of
mechanics. welding and carpen try
especially useful.
Only 20 of the 64 went straight from
school to the farm. It is assumed they
returned home with the intention of
taking the farm over from their parents.
A variety of means are used to begin a
farm business. As expected, most (79 per
cent) had help from the parents.
Half those surveyed bought the farm
outright from Dad and Mom. or received
financial help from them to purchase a
farm.
Then there were the familiar father/
son partnerships . where the son
gradually bought more of the assets. But
there was a fair number (12 per cent) who
bought their farm without family
assistance.
There were also those who got their
start by sharecropping, and one of the 64
started by renting land.
It was surprising to note more than 50
per cent had mortgages of less than
540,000. This suggests a great deal of
help by some parents.
Part of the success in becoming
independent operators for thesc Huron
and Northumberland farmers can
possibly be attributed to their careful use
of funds_ Used machinery or custom work
was used by 79 per cert,, considerable
saving with today's machinery costs and
interest rates.
That the old practice of beginning
small and building from a base is not
dead is also shown in the survey. Of the
64 young farmers. 10 owned Tess than 100
acres. while the bulk owned up to 200
acres. The average size of land operated,
which includes rented land, was 144
acres.
The ag. reps. found there are different
reasons prohibiting entry into farming
across the province. It is easier to buy a
farm in Eastern or Northern Ontario thin
it is in the south.
In addition, there was reluctance too
for young farmers to commit themselves
to Targe expenditures for some com-
modities when the markets were un-
certain. Beef was given as an example.
Financing. and its cost, were also cited
by the OMAF people as an obstacle.
Some argued milk quota policies stood
in their way.
"However, it was also argued that such
policies are merely a way of indicating
that the market doesn't need any more
of a particular commodity and there is no
need for additional producers," the
report said.
The ag. reps. found " many young
farmers have unrealistic income
expectations compared to parents and
established farmers."
Because young farmers are working
with a narrow margin, escalating input
costs often play havoc with their long
range plans.
The " keep-up-with-the-Joneses
syndrome" is also present on the farm
and the ag.reps. discovered many young
farmers purchase machinery ex-
travagantly.
The ag. reps. also found the great
majority (73 per cent) of young farmers
had some measure of family help, but
that there is still opportunity for those
who really want it is shown in the 27 per
cent who made it on their own.
A surprising number of young farmers
were doing the job full-time. Only 4 per
cent did part-time farming out of a total of
460 young people surveyed.
The government -assisted land lease
program as practised in Saskatchewan
would have not much chance in Ontario.
Ms. Down's report shows only a few
operators thought this a good idea.
The surveys show there is much
interest in farming by the young families
any branch of industry badly needs. They
also show that if there is a real desire and
willingness to work hard, often at two
jobs at the sane time. with a spouse
equally dedicated. even without family
help it is possible to begin farming.
No doubt many studies will be done on
how to help young farm families get
established. but these two surveys show
many are not waiting for government to
do something.
THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1981 PG. 43