The American farmer is near 60 and new young farmers are in critical short supply, Clif Bar & Company and the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) announced a joint effort to support pending federal legislation that would remove one of the key obstacles preventing young farmers from starting to farm — student loan debt.

“We are a generation of farmers committed to growing quality food and stewarding our land and resources. This work must be celebrated and supported as a vital service to our nation.”

Clif Bar and NYFC are partnering to urge congressional approval of The Young Farmer Success Act of 2015, which would forgive the balance of student loans for farmers who make 10 years of income-driven student loan payments.

Clif Bar and NYFC will grow awareness of the U.S. farmer shortage and highlight the importance young farmers play in driving innovation in organic farming. The video encourages people nationwide to write members of Congress requesting their support of The Young Farmer Success Act. Clif Bar also is donating $35,000 to NYFC, which represents the average student loan debt reported by young farmers in a recent NYFC survey.