Aging of the Agriculture Workforce Gets Special Attention on Capitol Hill
June 10, 2025 
Florida organic produce grower Jim Alderman testifies before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. His testimony addressed the impact of the aging agricultural workforce and its impact on food security. Photo courtesy of U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
The voice of agriculture was heard during a recent hearing of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. The issue of an aging agriculture workforce is a growing concern. This especially when it comes to its potential impact on food security.
Organic produce grower Jim Alderman, owner of Boynton Beach, FL-based Alderman Farms, testified before the special committee. Part of his testimony, highlighted by the Florida Farm Bureau, reads as follows: “Farming isn’t just about growing crops. It’s about passing down knowledge, discipline, and a way of life. But that chain of succession is breaking. Nationwide, less than 9% of farmers are under 35, and the numbers are even more sobering in states like mine. Young people want to farm, but they’re running into walls: land is expensive, equipment costs are staggering, and access to financing is tough, especially for those without family assets.”
Alderman stressed the importance of investing in beginner farmer programs, expanding technical assistance and offering incentives, such as estate planning tools to make farm transition easier while still maintaining the farm legacy.
“These aren’t just policy tweaks, they are necessary steps to prevent our food system from eroding one generation at a time.”
Click here to read Alderman’s entire written testimony.
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American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall also lent his testimony on the matter.
“As I travel to farms across this country, I see a lot of gray hair, and while the wisdom of older generations is critical, we must ensure that we are making the way for young and beginning farmers to fill our boots. As this committee has identified, there are many challenges facing the agriculture community, but there are also opportunities for Congress to support young and beginning farmers, including with a new farm bill …”
To read more of Duvall’s testimony to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, visit fb.org.
The entire hearing titled, “The Aging Farm Workforce: America’s Vanishing Family Farms,” can be viewed at aging.senate.gov.
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