RFA Ethanol Podcast

Incoming ASFMRA Prez: Young Folks Needed

John Davis

A common problem you hear in farm circles is “Where are we going to get the next generation of producers?” That’s certainly also on the mind of the leadership at the recent 83rd Annual Meeting and Trade Show of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and AgroNomics Conference & Trade Show held in Indianapolis, Ind.

Jim Rickert, the incoming president for ASFMRA and a farm manager and rural appraiser, along with with wife and son in Northeastern California, says he’s trying to look to the future of where his 85-year-old organization is headed, as well as the aging farm producer population.

“We have a great demand for the services we have, but in the immediate future, we’re going to need to replace ourselves. We need to find young people to participate in our profession,” said Rickert.

To that end, Rickert said they’re getting more connected with university ag programs and explain those opportunities to young people, as well as challenging current ASFMRA members to bring in young people to the field. He added the new generation is bringing in new technology and ideas, as Rickert pointed to an example of how a group of young people, talking at a coffee shop, came up with a new way to do crop insurance by doing statistical models.

Rickert said he’s looking forward to the next conference next year, November 11-15, at the Peppermill Resort, in Reno, Nevada… although he doubts too many folks in his business, who already roll the dice in their everyday jobs will be looking to gamble there.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Jim here: Interview with Jim Rickert, incoming ASFMRA president

2012 Agronomics Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the ASFMRA Agronomics Conference is sponsored by Halderman Farm Management.

Agribusiness, Audio