Young Iowa Farmers Face Challenges in Land Ownership

Farming isn't an easy way to make a living. Iowa farmers have faced a number of challenges for decades. But young farmers looking to get started could have a difficult time in the coming years. Here are just a few factors that make farming a tough profession to get a start in.

Iowa Losing Farms and Cropland

The Des Moines Register points out that Iowa has lost around 9,800 farms over the past 25 years, and a staggering 2.3 million acres of cropland. Meanwhile, farming operations are getting bigger. Farms with more than 2,000 acres have tripled in Iowa since 1997. Smaller farms are getting squeezed out, making it hard for young farmers to get their start.

Iowa Farmers are Getting Older

According to the Register, 20 million of Iowa's 30 million acres of farmland is owned by people 65 years of age and older. Nearly 40% of farmland is owned by those 75 years of age and older. This is setting the stage for a huge transition of land. But will young farmers have the means to purchase that land?

AppalachianViews

The Register reports that half of Iowa's $330 billion in farmland will change hands in the next two decades. While 70% of the land is purchased by farmers, some big-name outsiders are also moving in. The Mormon Church and Microsoft founder Bill Gates are among the state's largest landholders, according to the Register.

Farmers Auctioning Their Land to Fund Retirement

The Register reports that many farmers believe that money is easier to split up than land. Land auctions have become the norm, with 1,400 acres in Hardin County selling for $19 million. Experts hope that some farmers will take the time to sell at least a portion of their acres to a beginning farmer.