A survey of over 400 young farmers and ranchers in the western United States found that finding water was even more of an issue than access to land and capital, says Civil Eats.
The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) published the report, which focused on young growers (the average age was 36) in the Intermountain West and Colorado River Basin. Eighty percent of the nation’s winter food supply comes from this part of the country, meaning that whether or not the next generation of farmers have the resources they need affects all of us, says Civil Eats.
And yet, drought has become the new normal in this part of the county. In fact, NYFC noted that most respondents were “young enough to have never farmed outside of drought: Over 15 years ago, when the current drought began, most had yet to begin a career in agriculture.”
In the west, where access to water is determined by seniority, or “first in time, first in use,” many beginning farmers are limited by their “junior water rights.” Seventy-two percent of the respondents were first-generation farmers — in other words, they hadn’t inherited the farm or the water rights that would have come with it. Older growers and landowners instead have priority claims over the resource.
Young farmers sometimes also hesitate to invest in water conservation measures. “It’s hard to talk to people about water conservation who have one acre in production with a walk-behind tiller and really tight margins,” Mike Nolan, owner of Rocky Mountain Roots, told Civil Eats. Not to mention the fact that many water-saving practices — like cover cropping — can take years before a farmer notices any changes.”
Respondents explained that while water-conservation grants exist, filling out the requisite paperwork takes time they often don’t have. Plus, many federal cost-share programs are designed for larger operations of at least 100 acres. Young farmers are helping themselves, though, by focusing on soil health. “Through practices like cover cropping, mulching, and reducing tillage, these farmers can increase the water-holding capacity of their soil, while improving biodiversity, and upping crop nutrients,” says Civil Eats.