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.png "Busting Farmer Stereotypes")
Maggie Earle- Sexton
October 07, 2022
Newsletter ArticleStereotypes can be quite powerful, especially in the agriculture industry. It can be very easy for the public to create stereotypes regarding less than 2% of its population. Like many other industries, agriculture has evolved throughout the years and is leaving outdated stereotypes in the dust. You will be hard pressed to find ONLY old men and old tractors on farms these days. The agriculture way of life is undoubtedly one of the best, but let us dig in and put some stereotypes to bed.
Famer Stereotypes & Misconceptions
“All farmers are men.”
Women have always been a crucial part of the agricultural industry, and they are not slowing down. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, female-operated farms account for 38 percent of total U.S. agricultural sales, meaning U.S. women in agriculture contributed $148 billion in agricultural products in 2017 alone. Of the total U.S. agricultural sales, female-operated farms contributed to 49 percent of crop sales and 51 percent of livestock sales and products. I am sure these numbers will greatly increase following the 2022 census. Women are not only in fields but also in labs, boardrooms, and lecture halls throughout the world.
“Farmers are uneducated.”
The general public does not always grasp the complexity of where their meals and clothes come from. It is much more than planting a seed and wishing for good weather. Farmers are meteorologists, mechanics, scientists, machine operators, and the list goes on. Much like other industries, agriculture has continued to modernize and innovate throughout its evolution. Technological advances made in the agricultural industry are not only continuous but also substantial. According to careerexplorer.com and the USDA, while thousands of recent graduates are entering a career in the agricultural industry; 38 percent of farmers hold at least one bachelor’s degree while another 32 percent hold an associate’s degree. Agriculturalists are constantly researching strategies to increase their performance and efficiency, including but not limited to seed technology and pest management practices. Many universities hold annual meetings where agriculturists receive the latest research on subjects ranging from yield production to the latest equipment software. For instance, many farmers are utilizing new GPS technology in tractors while planting and spraying crops. Like other professionals have to further their skills, so do those working within the agriculture industry.
“Farmers don’t care about the environment.”
This one is all too often a stereotype and a complete misconception, but in reality, they are the original environmentalists. Constantly, new laws and regulations are being implemented by local, state, and federal government officials. Soil samples are taken to test the nutrients in the soil; this practice helps determine what type of crop should be planted, nutrients needed in the soil, or even how much fertilizer is needed. Ranchers and other livestock producers have constantly been reducing their carbon footprint for decades. They are persistently implementing new strategies from soil health to manure management and everything in between. According to the Global Food Security Journal, “86% of the global livestock feed intake in dry matter consists of feed materials that are not currently edible for humans.” Therefore, livestock are taking these inedible products and recycling them to be used for food. When it comes to agriculturists nothing is wasted.
Agriculturists will keep neutralizing these stereotypes, although there is one stereotype that is here to stay: “Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of society”. As the saying goes, without farmers and ranchers we would all be naked and hungry.
Learn more about all of the opportunities and career paths in agriculture on AgCareers.com!
