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Farmers bring concerns to farm bill roundtable

A seventh-generation farmer says labor is one of the most difficult challenges in agriculture.

Paul Pridgeon raises hogs, corn, soybeans, and wheat in southern Michigan.

“We can’t find people that want to work in ag anymore,” he shares.  “Kids don’t think of it as a viable career. They’re so far removed from it that even if you gave me free funding to hire somebody, I don’t know how well I could find anybody.”

Pridgeon was a participant in an ag round table discussion this week focused on the farm bill and challenges in the industry.  He tells Brownfield federal programs should enhance farm viability and longevity.

“We’ve been farming the same dirt in my family since 1836 and I hope that it only gets better,” he says. “I need it to get better so we can keep growing more food to feed more people.”

He says research and development are key to solving issues in the industry and should be supported in a way that makes implementation accessible.