Future of Farming

More than 99% of farm producers in Pennsylvania are white, but groups in Pittsburgh are seeking to diversify the sector. Their work could help to avert an impending shortage of agricultural workers.

Pennsylvania farmers are getting older, and state officials say there aren’t enough people to take over what is often grueling work that doesn’t make much money. But changing the nature of the job could help to raise a new generation of agricultural workers.

As more farmers in Pennsylvania near retirement, the state is bracing for a shortage of agricultural workers. But for people who want to start their own farms, there’s no guarantee they’ll find land. It's a top barrier for newcomers in the industry.

With more than half of people who run Pennsylvania’s farms aged 55 or older, agricultural communities in the state face an uncertain future. The industry wants to protect farmland and is bracing for a labor shortage.