Commentary: Change is happening--and we're ready for it

Issue Date: April 2, 2008

CFBF YF&R Committee Chair Tim Chiala of Morgan Hill says the next generation of farmers must be ready and willing to embrace change as new trends come and go.

By Tim Chiala

Change is happening. As a young farmer in California I see it all around me. Change is happening on the farm, in the marketplace and overseas. It is happening in technology, in marketing and in politics. Change is happening everywhere we turn and as the next generation of farmers and ranchers we need to be ready to ride the wave of change.

Recently more than 175 producers attended the annual Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference in Monterey. Speakers, workshops and tours gave participants a look into future of agriculture and the trends they need to be aware of so they are ready for change.

Change was also highlighted recently at the National Young Farmers and Ranchers conference in Baltimore. During the opening session, an economist from Washington, D.C., said, "I never thought I would say this, but agriculture is a shining star in our slowing economy."

Commodity prices for a lot of products are up but that is not the only change on agriculture's horizon. Public perception and interest in the food supply is changing, too. Being a grower myself, I have noticed the variety of labels on food I see in the stores. There is organic, all natural, certified clean, free range, grass fed and carbon free. But I think the most important label of all is that it's California grown.

California farmers and ranchers grow, pack and ship some of the safest and best-quality products in the world. Many times we take this for granted because we can go to just about any store in California and have an abundance of beautiful produce to choose from. People living in other states or countries don't enjoy this same selection.

Consumers are becoming more educated on where their food comes from and how it is produced. They are concerned with food safety and as growers we need to be prepared to assure them that the product they are getting is the best in the world.

Consumers are not the only ones changing. Farmers and ranchers are changing, too. Many are beginning to understand the importance of telling their story and making sure their voice is heard on local and statewide issues affecting their farms and ranchers.

In a recent informal survey of young farmers and ranchers ages 18-35, conducted by the American Farm Bureau, 75 percent said state and local issues like property taxes concern them more than federal issues.

The same survey showed the vast majority--83 percent--of young farmers and ranchers are more optimistic about farming than they were five years ago. This is up from only 61 percent in 2003.

As consumers are showing more interest in the origin of their food, farmers and ranchers are doing even more to continue their role as stewards of the land. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said they practice conservation tillage and 49 percent rotate three or more crops. Forty-percent said they use soil and tissue analysis and 36 percent use integrated pest management practices.

And we can't talk about change without talking about technology. As you might imagine, technology plays a role in every aspect of farming for most young farmers and ranchers. About 90 percent have cell phones and computers, 46 percent have satellite television and 99 percent use the Internet.

Consumers want to know more about their food and growers are committed to providing them the safest, finest-quality and most affordable food in the world, while at the same time working to conserve and enhance California's natural resources. Change is happening --and California's young farmers and ranchers are ready for it.

For more information on Young Farmers and Ranchers, call your county Farm Bureau office. For general information on the YF&R program, visit www.cfbf.com/programs/yfr or contact Danielle Rau at (916) 561-5598.

(Tim Chiala is the 2008 chairman of the California Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. He may be contacted at tim.chiala@gcfarmsinc.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item. Top