The Rural Voice, 1982-09, Page 39i
I
ONE MAN'S OPINION
Why are the young
ones leaving?
by Adrian Vos
There is a continuous wailing by the farm community about
young people leaving the farm. That has not changed in the last
century.
Be proud to be a farmer, writers exhorted. It is an honorable
occupation. A man's character is deter-
mined by what he is and not by his job. A
farmer has the choice of being a
gentleman or a boor, just like in any
profession.
However, little has changed in the past
hundred years. How can a young man be
expected to respect farming as a lifetime
occupation if as a child on, he has heard
nothing but complaints about low prices,
unfavorable weather, dumb government
policies, long hours and high costs?
It must be obvious however that not
every farmer's son and daughter can take over dad's farm. One
hundred years ago this was more pronounced because families
generally were a lot larger. As a matter of fact, more children left
the farm for life in the city than today. This was deplored but it
was good then, and it is good now. It is a process of evolution
where only the fittest survive the rigours of farming. They like the
business and usually succeed in making a livelihood from
farming.
We may grow nostalgic from time to time, for the time when
farming was much more a close family enterprise, but the fact
remains new needs by a denser population and the development
of new technology on the farm, make it imperative that farms be
larger.
The change -over from small to large is more rapid in the last
couple of decades, too rapid at times, as is evident from many
modern financial problems caused by rapid expansion, a
phenomenon not limited to farming.
Anyone looking back ten or twenty years down his concession
road will notice the difference in size in that very short time. A
medium to large hog farm in 1970 is today considered medium to
small, even with the same output.
At that time we were fully convinced (through the advice of all
types of specialists) that we all must specialize, and many did.
Today I tend to agree with those whose view we called old
fashioned and out-of-date a decade ago, that mixed farming gives
more security. A lot more.
What is wrong with a flock of 500 chickens; some sheep; a
small herd of sows, and so on. in addition to the main enterprise?
A pain in the neck? That depends on your point of view. One
can also see it as a profitable hobby.
What is quite clear is that to keep the children on the farm,
parents must talk positive about their own life in agriculture. The
example of parents is still the strongest influence on young minds.
The answer to 'how to keep'em on the farm' lies not so much
with the cost of starting an operation or with government
policies, but more with the attitude as influenced by their parents'
example.
A young person encouraged to get sufficient education to get
the most out of the farm and who has been consulted in business
decisions by the parents at an early age, has more chance to
become a successful farmer than one who moves into the business
because he has no other choice.
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THE RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1982 PG. 39