Only 6 percent of farm managers in Europe are under the age of 35, but 31 percent are 65 or older, says the news site EurActiv in a series of infographics. “While employment is a key objective for rural development, an aging working force on farms has become an impediment for rural areas in the EU.” The EU has spent millions of euros on agricultural support at the same time farm consolidation is occurring. The amount of land in farms, more than 170 million hectares, has remained the same, but there are millions fewer farms than a decade ago.
“Supporting young farmers is a key objective under the rural development pillar of the new CAP, as they are more likely to modernize the sector and ensure its sustainability,” says EurActiv, drawing on material from the European Commission.
The data for U.S. farmers mirrors the EU. The 2012 Census of Agriculture said 5 percent of the 2.205 million principal operators of U.S. farms were under 35 years of age and 32 percent were 65 or over. The portion of young farmers was lower than the 6 percent counted in the 2007 Ag Census, and the portion of older farmers was higher than the 31 percent found in 2007.