Beginning Farmer and Rancher Programs
Senator Franken strongly supports policies that foster new farmers in Minnesota and bolster their access to markets. Half of all current farmers in the U.S. are likely to retire in the next decade. At the same time, the number of new farmers over the age of 35 along with smaller farms and ranches is increasing nationwide. As new farmers take up the field of agriculture in Minnesota, federal policies should provide farmers with the skills and access to capital necessary to get their farms up and running. Senator Franken supports programs like the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher program, which give farmers the tools and financing they need to get their farms off the ground. In March 2010, he wrote to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging robust funding for these programs in the 2011 Agriculture Appropriations bill.
