Producers in two industries -- soybeans and cotton -- may find themselves part of record harvests in 2024. A university is working to solve a challenge in the graying agricultural field by cultivating the farmers of tomorrow. And undecided voters aren’t just thinking about Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They must also now learn about what J.D. Vance and Tim Walz could mean for agriculture over the next four years.
Production Push: This year could bring a record crop for soybeans in the United States. The USDA forecasts a 10% increase compared to last year. Producers are expected to increase yields per bushel by almost 5% and expand planted acres by 5% compared to last year.
Cotton production is expected to surge even more than beans. The USDA forecasted a 25% jump in cotton production for 2024 compared to last year. Unlike soybeans, cotton yields per harvested acre could drop by more than 6%. However, harvested acreage is expected to increase by 34%.
Growing Farmers: The average farmer in the United States is well into middle age: 58 years old. Nearly one-third of farmers are senior citizens. Although, they are far from retired.
The aging industry has been looking for ways to attract future generations.
A Rutgers University program has a mission to address that. It teaches students how to become farmers, including those who didn’t grow up in agriculture.
The program consists of three phases:
1. A 15-session online course that covers the farming basics.
2. Hands-on training where students run a cooperative.
3. Students participate in a farm business incubator and implement their farm business plan.
CBS followed a 26-year-old former cook who took the program and now grows produce for the restaurant where she used to work.
Politics Meets Agriculture: With 2 ½ months left until the 2024 presidential election, it means voters – the true “swing voters” – will analyze their choices for president and vice president.
The shakeup on the Democratic side means those undecide voters now may be trying to figure out what Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would mean for agriculture as he became Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
RELATED: Catch up on President Joe Biden’s decision to end his re-election campaign and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. This story from the Associated Press explains the pressure that Biden faced due to concerns about the decline of his mental fitness.
Agri-Pulse Newsmakers talked with Minnesota Democratic leaders and national agricultural leaders about what the farm industry could expect if Walz becomes vice president.
Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to become his Republican running mate for his 2024 campaign. Vance previously worked as a venture capitalist.
He served as a board member for AppHarvest, a startup agricultural company, that has since declared bankruptcy.
Cleveland.com investigated the complaints from former workers at the company, the migrants that the company hired, and the response about complaints from Vance’s campaign.
Politico talked with California Republicans at a fundraiser for Vance’s campaign, some from the agricultural community, about why the Biden administration’s efforts to combat climate change makes them want to support Republicans instead.
