Farmer of the Future

Farmer of the Future

This we know: You can’t feed the growing world population without farmers. But there are serious questions today about who will actually be able to take on the job a few decades from now. Farmers are getting older, yes, but technological, cultural and political forces also are bringing immense change to those people who commit to building their lives around the land.

In this special report, Harvest Public Media looks at how some of those forces may play out over the next few years.

Agriculture

A Plot In The Middle

Frank Morris

A few years ago, things were going smoothly for Eric Neill and his family. Neill was making good money as a construction superintendent for a commercial…
Agriculture

Who Are You Calling A Corporate Farmer?

Peggy Lowe

A surprising thing happens while touring Chris Boeckmann’s turkey farm, where 50,000 birds are grown each year for Cargill Inc.After seeing the huge…
Agriculture

The Sustainable Hand

Jessica Naudziunas

The farmer of future will grow food and raise animals with tomorrow in mind. They’ll know contributing to the food supply is not enough. If the soil, air…
Agriculture

Take Me To Your Fields: Robots On The Farm

There’s always work to be done on the farm, but often it’s the same work day, after day, after day. Parts of the job must feel a bit like an assembly…
Agriculture

Blending Of Cultures May Be Blueprint For Growth

Kathleen Masterson

Sioux County, in northwest Iowa, is known for its Dutch pastries. The landscape is dotted with Lutheran and reform churches. But today, Catholic churches…