Although the average age of Oregon farmers is moving up, younger farmers are increasingly the ones bringing in higher levels of sales.
Although the average age of Oregon farmers is moving up, younger farmers are increasingly the ones bringing in higher levels of sales.
[Brent Searle with the state Department of Agriculture] said a majority of those operators 65 and older tend to be in the retirement, residential or lifestyle category and are not in full time production. Those farms that gross at least $100,000 in sales each year do not include a high percentage of these older farmers.
“Farms with higher levels of sales are associated with younger age farmers on average as a group.”
Reflecting a recent USDA report, the eventual exit of older farmers appears less ominous based on the types of farms they operate. The overall average age of operator in Oregon is an all time high of 57 ½ years old, but those responsible for a large amount of sales average closer to 55 years old and in position to pass those farms along to the next generation.
Read more at myCentralOregon.com.
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