By Carmen Bunker
“I think the number one issue is the cost.”
Farming has long been a staple of Rockbridge County’s identity, but for young farmers trying to break into the industry, the barriers are higher than ever.
Agriculture remains Virginia’s largest private industry, contributing $82.3 billion annually and providing over 381,800 jobs, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
However, experts say that farming as a primary profession is dwindling in Rockbridge County.
“It’s like 250 farms in the county,” said Tom Stanley, Virginia Tech extension office agent. “Depending on how you count them, somewhere between nine and 15; it’s probably closer to nine farms that actually are the primary source of income.”
Young farmers are scarce. Only 8% of Rockbridge County’s farmers are under 35, according to a 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture census.
The cost of entry
Starting a farm requires substantial capital, something that many younger farmers simply don’t have.
“I think the number one issue is the cost,” said Megan Sheets, the 4-H and Youth Development representative for the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
John Benner, another Virginia Cooperative Extension agent, emphasized that access to credit is one of the biggest challenges.
“You need a lot of capital to maybe put any down payment on land,” Benner said. “You have to have a plan to mortgage or to service that land debt. So, access to capital and credit, land access, and land rent can be a challenge for young farmers.”
Beyond land, equipment costs have soared.
“Since the 1970s, the tractors were simple back then, but they were also less expensive,” Benner said. “It took ten feeder calves to pay for a tractor or to pay the note on borrowing money to buy that tractor. And now that’s, even with beef prices being up, that’s closer to 20 or 30.”
Shifts in farming and market pressures
Even with fewer farmers, the amount of farmland isn’t increasing.
“Even though you have fewer farmers, there’s not any more land,” Benner said. “In fact, there’s less land due to development and other things.”
Sheets echoed this concern.
“The farmland that is available—we’re not getting any more of it. It’s going the other direction. It’s decreasing,” Sheets said. “Especially within Rockbridge County, everybody wants it.”
Another challenge is the economic structure of modern farming.
“The generational transition thing is superimposed on an agricultural market that has just gravitated toward the absolute lowest cost, lowest cost producer, most efficient, however you want to put it,” Stanley said. “The farms have just gotten bigger, and bigger, and bigger.”
While large-scale poultry and beef operations dominate, some young farmers are trying to carve out a niche through local produce markets.
“People are willing to grow and grow vegetables for markets,” Stanley said. “And that’s a whole other set of problems in terms of just being very labor intensive. Requires a lot of time to go peddle your products, you know, direct consumers. It’s a big, huge amount of time.”
Local support and the future of farming
Programs like Rockbridge County 4-H and Virginia Cooperative Extension offer resources to young farmers. The Virginia Cooperative Extension, which partners with Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, provides support through three different areas.
“It’s important to make young people aware that it doesn’t require 300 acres to farm. You can do a lot with a little, if you’re smart about it.”
“We provide program opportunities across three different main silos of programming—agriculture and natural resources, 4-H, and family consumer sciences,” Sheets said.
Young people ages five to 19 can join 4-H to gain hands-on experience with livestock. For some, clubs like the Stockman’s club provide a gateway into agriculture and livestock care.
“The Stockman’s Club is more of an animal-based club where you learn about animal husbandry and livestock, along with showing lambs at the county fair and state fair,” said Josie Caldwell, 18, the club’s president.
Many young farmers enter the program because of a family connection to agriculture.
“I chose the agriculture route just because I grew up on a family farm,” Caldwell said. “My mom grew up on a family farm as well, so I think my love for animals comes from her love as well.”
The program helps youth understand how the livestock market operates, from raising animals to selling them at auction. Sheets said many participants reinvest their earnings into future projects, while others save for college, trade school or other expenses.
“Sometimes the money they make goes toward purchasing next year’s animals,” Sheets said. “Sometimes it’s put towards college or trade school or whatever the child’s going to do.”
Beyond technical skills, these clubs help young farmers gain confidence and find a sense of belonging in the agricultural community.
“I would say because I’ve been in the club for so long, I think my confidence has grown since then,” Caldwell said. “I feel like it’s a safe place I can go.”
As these programs expand, Caldwell hopes that more young people will have the opportunity to get involved in agriculture.
“A lot of [participants] are younger, so I feel like the program is definitely growing,” Caldwell said. “And I feel like if it continues to grow more, there will be more and more opportunities for the new kids to come in.”
Despite the hurdles, some farmers are finding ways to make their businesses work by engaging directly with consumers at the Kerrs Creek County Market.
“So, over the past couple of years, we have really built up our community using the farmer’s market kind of as our central gathering place, and it’s been awesome,” said Becky Almy, Kerrs Creek County Market manager.
Sheets said more efforts are needed to show young people that agriculture is more accessible than they may think.
“I think if we could do a better job of anything, it would be from the forage standpoint,” Sheets said. “Agriculture can be small scale. And I think you’re seeing that … with hobby farmers, and with home gardens, folks that are growing things and selling them at farmer’s markets and small enterprises like that.”
With rising food costs, she said, more people may return to farming even in a small way.
“As commodities continue to get more expensive, I think people are being forced back onto the farm,” Sheets said. “It’s important to make young people aware that it doesn’t require 300 acres to farm. You can do a lot with a little, if you’re smart about it.”
For young farmers, the road ahead remains uncertain.
“Let’s say your mom and dad want to retire,” Benner said. “If a son or daughter wants to take over the farm, how do you replace two full-time laborers?”