Next Generation in Agriculture Act

California Center for Cooperative Development Cooperative Facilitator and Seed Farmer Mai Nguyen. Photo credit: Lance Cheung, USDA.

The Next Generation in Agriculture Act

S. 2762

The Next Generation in Agriculture Act, introduced on April 26, 2018 by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Susan Collins (R-ME), will address our nation’s looming shortage of farmers and ranchers by connecting retiring and aspiring producers and helping to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, skills, and resources. American farmers and ranchers are increasingly aging out of agriculture, and many of them will reach retirement without a succession plan in place for their operations. This problem is not from a lack of interest from the next potential generation of producers, rather, it is fueled by both a serious lack of resources that would help beginning farmers to start successful businesses and a lack of intergenerational facilitation by the federal government.

The Next Generation in Agriculture Act will break down barriers to entry for aspiring farmers and ranchers and help to ensure the ongoing success of existing farm operations by connecting retiring producers with potential successors. Specifically, this bill will

  • Empower new farmers (including veteran and socially disadvantaged farmers) with the skills to succeed in today’s agricultural economy by permanently reauthorizing the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.
  • Expand beginning farmers’ access to land by scaling up resources for farm transition and succession planning.
  • Ensure equitable access to federal crop insurance by expanding crop insurance incentives to better support beginning farmers’ in managing risk on their farms.
  • Increase coordination, outreach and technical assistance between U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that provide resources to young, beginning, and retiring farmers.

NSAC is proud to endorse this legislation, and strongly supports its inclusion in the 2018 Farm Bill. Many of the proposals included in this bill are also included in the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act (H.R.4316), which was introduced in the House last fall and also endorsed by NSAC.

Other organizations endorsing this bill include the National Young Farmers Coalition and Future Farmers of America.

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