Oregon farmers older than national average
EUGENE, Ore. - For 35 years, through good years and bad, farmer Randy Henderson of Thistledown Farms has seen it all.
He's afraid, though, the high costs of farming is pricing some out of the profession.
"The amount of money they can make without really working up a sweat somewhere else is pretty lucrative," said the veteran family farmer.
A new state agriculture report said the average age of an Oregon farmer or rancher is nearly 58 years old. That tops the national average of 57.
Two out of three other family members running the farms are under 55. The same report shows 71 percent of Oregon farmers have been working at their farms for at least 10 years.
"The farm population that's left continues to age," said Brent Searle with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, "so it's the challenge of making agriculture a viable option for people to come back."
Farm succession - handing down a farm to the next generation - is a big issue.
However, it brings up a sore point for the Hendersons: the federal estate tax.
If Congress doesn't act this year, the estate tax is set to rise to 55 percent. Jared Henderson said that defeats the purpose of trying to keep families on the farm.
"If a young person sees that, why would they want to enter agriculture?" he said.
The younger Henderson said he knew at age 5 he wanted to be a farmer. He works for his dad, but hopes to someday buy the 400 acre operation between Eugene and Junction City.
"If you really nail it, you can make a good living at it," he said.
That leaves his dad feeling more optimistic for the future of the industry.
"There's a lot of work and a lot of long hours and it doesn't look too good matched up to other things," he said, "so you really have to love it or you don't belong in it. Still, there'll be people that will farm. It's not rocket science."
