The future of farming depends on supporting young farmers

"Across America, a new generation of farmers is reimagining what it means to work the land. They are engineers, ecologists, and entrepreneurs-people who see farming not only as a way to grow food, but as a form of innovation. In fields across the country, these farmers are harnessing soil science, biodiversity, and technology to restore what decades of extractive agriculture have depleted."

"Their work represents one of the most powerful opportunities of our time: The opportunity to regenerate our planet from the ground up. Yet, the odds they face are immense. Land prices have soared, access to capital is limited, and isolation comes with choosing a career path few understand. Farmland continues to disappear, and for those eager to farm differently, access to resources and mentorship remains limited."

"These farmers are proving that the next era of agriculture can be both economically viable and ecologically sound. They are experimenting with cover crops to build soil health, integrating renewable energy into operations, and rethinking distribution through community-based models. Their work underscores a truth we must all recognize: The future of farming depends on our ability to empower the people willing to reinvent it."

A new generation of farmers across America applies engineering, ecology, and entrepreneurship to restore degraded land through regenerative practices. They harness soil science, biodiversity, cover cropping, renewable energy, and technology to rebuild soil biology, reduce chemical use, sequester carbon, and redesign distribution via community-based models. These farmers demonstrate that agriculture can be both economically viable and ecologically sound, yet they confront soaring land prices, limited access to capital, social isolation, disappearing farmland, and scarce resources and mentorship. Institutional support, scientific research, cultural shifts, and corporate partnerships are necessary to empower beginning farmers and scale regenerative agriculture nationwide.

Read at Fast Company