Alarming shift in agriculture industry
With the average age of area farmers nearing 60, experts say interesting young people in farming can save the industry

photo by Bob Hooftallen / Endeavor News Agricultural experts agree: local farming is in jeopardy and if more young people don't take an interest in farming as a profession, the region's economy will suffer. State and local agencies are focusing on incentives that will attract young adults into the industry. Meanwhile, area farmers are doing their part by giving tours of their operations to show young people that farming is more than feeding animals and growing crops. Above, students tour the highly-productive Hoffman Dairy Farm near Shinglehouse. The family-owned and operated farm produces some 5,000 gallons of milk per day, 365 days a year. Below, Hunter Freer and Brandon Hostetlar feed calves.

Fewer young people in Potter, Cameron and McKean counties are following in their parents' and grandparents' farming footsteps.

"The average age of a local farmer has risen by 12 years over the past 15 years," said Don Tanner, who manages the Penn State Cooperative Extension offices in the three counties. "The obvious solution is to interest more young people in agriculture, and our organization believes the solution to that is education."

In 1992, the average Potter County farmer was 42 years old. As of 2007, the average farmer was 54.2.

The figures are even more disconcerting in McKean and Cameron counties, where the average farmer's age is now 55.9 and 56.8, respectively.

"To some extent it's understandable," said Ron Cooney, a Ulysses area dairyman in his mid-50s. Cooney and his wife, Candy Barker Cooney, operate the 280-acre Rolandice Farm. "Young people know there are other jobs they can choose that are easier than farming."

Both of the Cooneys grew up on a farm, but their three sons have chosen not to continue in the family tradition.

"We can understand that, since they've seen how much hard work it involves," Candy Cooney said. "Also, with the economics involved, they've seen how we have gone without things over the years."

Still, both of the Cooneys said they enjoy their occupation.

"When you work so hard for so many years to establish what you have, there's a real satisfaction to it," Ron Cooney explained.

Tanner said Cooperative Extension is supporting innovations and educational programs that can help make local farming more efficient and profitable. Penn State is promoting "value-added" food production, such as the manufacture of local jams, maple syrup and other consumer products using local agricultural goods.

Cooperative Extension is also supporting marketing initiatives, organic food production and a broader outreach of technical support.

Active vocational agriculture education programs at Coudersport and Northern Potter school districts have also encouraged young people to consider farming or related fields as an occupation.

Potter County was once the king of Pennsylvania potato farming and one of the state's top milk producers. Gradually, many farms were sold for real estate development or investment property and younger generations opted out.

In recent years, several Amish families have helped to resurrect local farming, supplementing their income with woodworking and construction contracting.

Long-time farmers in the region say they're discouraged by low milk prices, delays in approvals from environmental agencies, deteriorating secondary roads and rising real estate taxes.

"It's very hard to stay in business, but there's always something that keeps you going," said Gene Kosa, a long-time farmer in northern Potter County. "You really have to love what you do, but are we going to lose that in the future generations?"