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Missouri governor: It’s important to bring young people into agriculture

Missouri Governor Mike Parson says it’s important to get young people involved in agriculture. The governor personally delivered the October Pork Month Proclamation at the Missouri Department of Agriculture Monday. He commented afterward about the advancing average age of the state’s farmers.

“It’s tough for a young person to come in and financially go out here and buy a farm and buy equipment, buy livestock or row crops, whatever it might be,” the governor told reporters following the proclamation. “It’s tough, so we have to figure out how do we make sure they have the tools they need to be successful, so I think that’ll be part of our workforce development. Agriculture will play a role in that.”

Workforce development and infrastructure are two priorities of Parson’s administration.

Missouri Pork Association Executive Director Don Nikodim says the industry is positioned to bring in the next generation of producers.

“It’s good to have older producers and folks in the farming industry that can lend a helping hand, bring young people in; there’s jobs in the industry that we didn’t used to have,” said Nikodim. “That creates opportunities for young people to get started.”

Nikodim says Monday’s appearance by Governor Parson is the first gubernatorial proclamation delivered personally since John Ashcroft was governor.

AUDIO: Governor Mike Parson (8 min. MP3)

AUDIO: Don Nikodim (3 min. MP3)