June 23, 2015

Arama Kukutai Managing Director Finistere Ventures

Since time immemorial, farming has been a family enterprise. Passed from family member across the generations, this fact is reflected today in over 95% of US farm ownership remaining closely held. However, the assumption that the family farm will be “passed on” faces greater challenges than ever before.

Demographic trends reflected around the developed world are echoed here in the aging of the US farmer – according to the USDA 2012 census, the average age is 58 years, but one third of active farmers are 68 or older. A farming generation is about to retire but unlike previous periods it is not a given that succession will pass to a family member. This fact has huge implications for the future of farming – and how this oldest of enterprises will look going forward. The farm employs around 1-2% of the US workforce – reflecting automation and labor saving technologies as well as urbanization trends of the last century.

So what role will technology play in this seismic shift in inter-generational farming tradition? As farming families consider their options, how to effectively control and manage their holdings will be a key factor in decisions to sell, hold or consolidate. Ag tech in effect has to be able to help fill the gap in knowledge that will be leaving the field or farm when this farmer generation retires. Technology won’t just be influential in improving crop yields, or reducing waste of water and inputs. It will need to have broader impact than creating more nutritious food, or enabling the internet to monitor the farm from space, drones or field based sensors. In this most human of enterprises, technology will help farmers face the biggest challenge in many ways – who will populate, manage and sustain the farm of the 21st century.

Arama Kukutai is a member of the speaking faculty at GAI AgTech Week in San Francisco, June 22-24, 2015.

The opinions expressed in this editorial are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of GAI News.