Support the Next Generation of Family Farmers
– For every farmer under the age of 35 years of age, there are six over the age of 65.
– 52 farmers lose their farms each day in America
– 56% of farms lost money in 2017
– 80% of Iowa pig farms that operated 3 decades ago are out of business today
– Every hour we lose 175 acres of U.S. farmland to development.
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- It keeps farms in the family and not lost to development.
- It ensures traditional and sustainable farming practices are passed down and not lost as agriculture becomes more industrialized.
- It helps future farmers and agriculture leaders gain new skills and expertise, without crippling debt.
The benefits of the Next Generation Foundation scholarship program go beyond the individual farmer and farm family, creating a positive ripple effect in rural communities. Small, family farms support many local businesses, organizations and institutions like their local veterinarian, the church, hospital, and school system. For every small farm that is able to be passed down to the next generation, a rural community shares in those positive effects. Since the Foundation’s establishment, together with the companies who sell our products, the chefs who feature Niman Ranch meats on their menus, the grocery stores who put the items on their shelves and the consumers who serve Niman Ranch to their families, we, collectively, have helped more than 270 young people who are committed to family farming and ranching. Many of these scholarship recipients have returned to the farm and their rural communities.