COLUMBUS, Ohio — Roughly 10 percent of small-scale farmers across the nation leave the industry every year. With a new program called Begin Farming, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Assoc. (OEFFA) is trying to help beginners confront the challenges that comes with running one’s own farm.

 

According to USDA figures, there are 27,000 beginning farmers in Ohio alone. A “beginning farmer” is considered one who has been on the land fewer than 10 years.

The average age of farmers in Ohio is 56, and that is of concern to OEFFA program coordinator Kelly Henderson and others in this line of work.

“What this means is we’ve got a retiring group that is going to be leaving farming here real soon,” Henderson said. “And we’re trying to get some of these beginning farmers on the land that these retiring farmers are going to be vacating.”

While there are a few programs for firsttime farmers across the state, this OEFFA-led effort not only helps younger farmers purchase the land, but also helps pass along knowledge from more experienced farmers.

 

“That’s necessary,” Henderson said, “because family-owned farms are finding out that children aren’t necessarily interested in keeping up the trade. A lot of this interest in farming is coming from folks who are either coming on as a second-career farmer, leaving previous occupations, or folks who are coming from the city who are really interested in a new lifestyle.”

While many city dwellers give much thought to earning a living off rural land, that transition is not an easy one, Henderson said. “Business planning and financial management, as well as how to access farm land and capital, are skills young farmers need to learn to be successful,” Henderson said. “And training Ohio’s next generation of farmers needs to start early.”

There are two courses available in the Begin Farming program for aspiring young farmers: “In-Depth Apprenticeship” and a “Farm Dreams” course. Both are offered during the falls of 2017 and 2018.

With “In-Depth Apprenticeship” up to nine aspiring farmers will work on one of two central Ohio certified organic farms. In addition to this paid position, they will attend off-farm educational workshops, tour additional farms and connect with other apprentices and farmers through networking opportunities. Apprentices who complete this program receive a “Farm Dreams” course scholarship; it is designed to help people clarify what motivates them to farm, get their vision on paper, inventory their strengths and training needs and get perspective from an experienced farmer.

“Beginning farmers face significant hurdles, including attaining knowledge, skills and experience in production practices, along with acquiring the fundamental business planning and financial management knowledge and skills,” Henderson said.

For more information about OEFFA’s programs, either as a new farmer or an experienced farmer, contact Henderson at kelly@oeffa.org or 614-421-2022, ext. 213.