Aging Farmers Leave Uncertain Future for the Next
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Colby Free Press Monday, March 20, 2006 Page 5 Aging farmers leave uncertain TV LISTINGS future for the next generation sponsored by the BLUE GRASS, Iowa (AP) — Earl Martz winces at the idea that one day someone other than a Martz It’s not that the younger generation may work the farm his family has COLBY FREE PRESS owned for generations. doesn’t want to farm. it’s that we’ve cre- Martz, 71, raised hogs, corn and “ated so many economic barriers for them soybeans on the same 160 acres his to enter the field.” father bought in 1913. Two of his WEEKDAYS MARCH 21 - MARCH 27 three sons now are working the John Crabtree. land, but the future of the family Center for Rural Affairs, Lyon, Neb. farm seems uncertain. 6 AM 6:30 7 AM 7:30 8 AM 8:30 9 AM 9:30 10 AM 10:30 11 AM 11:30 Soaring land values and operat- KLBY/ABC Good Morning Good Morning America Martha The View Million- News ing costs, competition from large- H h Kansas aire KSNK/NBC News Cont’d Today Live With Regis Paid Paid scale operations, tax hurdles and Mike Duffy, professor of farm Jr., a 31-year-old part-time farmer L j and Kelly Program Program market forces have made it difficult economics at Iowa State University, from Donaldsonville, Ga., in the KBSL/CBS News Cont’d News The Early Show The 700 Club The Price Is Right The Young and the for young families to take over for says research in Iowa shows an in- state’s southwest corner. 1< NX Restless K15CG BBC Body Caillou Mister Beren. Cliff Pup Big Big Dragon Sesame Street Teletub- Barney- the nation’s graying farmers. crease in land held by joint tenants When he’s not driving trucks to d World Electric Rogers Bears World Tales bies Friends “I really don’t think my grand- and trusts — often by multiple heirs help pay the bills, Houston says he ESPN Sports- Varied Sports- Varied Programs Sports- Varied Programs Sports- Varied Programs children will farm,” said Martz, — as retirees turn the farm over to raises wheat, peanuts and cotton on O_ Center Center Center Center USA Walker, Texas JAG The District Nash Bridges Nash Bridges Texas Varied now a year into retirement. “We their children. 220 rented acres. But his dream is P^ Ranger Ranger don’t know what will happen to it, While some children choose to to follow in the footsteps of his fa- TBS Saved Saved Saved Saved Dawson’s Creek Movie Becker Becker really, after our two sons are done farm, many more have other ca- ther and grandfather and farm full P_ by Bell by Bell by Bell by Bell reers. As a result, Duffy says, mul- WGN Chang- Believer Happy Happy Hillbil- Hillbil- Rockford Files Matlock Magnum, P.I. farming here.” time. Pa ing Voice Days Days lies lies The questions facing the Martz tiple-heir ownership has put more “It’s so hard to be able to afford TNT Angel Charmed Charmed ER ER Judging Amy family are familiar to many Ameri- land in the hands of people who live extra land,” said Houston, adding QW can farmers and ranchers. away from the farm or out of state. that his father recently sold some DSC Paid Paid Paid Paid American Chopper American Chopper Varied Programs In 1982, 37 percent of Iowa farm- QY Program Program Program Program A 2002 survey by farm econo- farmland for $3,300 per acre. A&E Varied Programs City Confidential American Justice mists at Iowa State University land was owned by someone living “If your daddy isn’t already an Q^ found that nearly 25 percent of Iowa off the farm. By 2002, that had risen established, big farmer, where you HIST Varied Programs farmland owners are 75 or older. to 45 percent, according to Duffy’s Q_ can use the name to start up a part- NICK Oddpar- Oddpar- Spon- Spon- Dora the Go Blue’s Backyar- Dora the Wonder Lazy- Miss Another 24 percent are 65 to 74, and research. nership, you really don’t have much Rl ents ents geBob geBob Explorer Diego Clues digans Explorer Pets Town Spider nearly 22 percent are 55 to 64. “What we anticipate seeing is of a chance these days,” he said. DISN Break- Higgly- Ein- Doodle- JoJo’s Charlie The Koala Rolie Doodle- Charlie Rolie The most recent census by the more land being owned by more The federal government has pro- R] fast Bear town steins bops Circus & Lola Wiggles Brothers Polie bops & Lola Polie FAM Kong- Spider- Power Power The 700 Club Living Gilmore Girls Step by Full Full U.S. Department of Agriculture people who don’t live in the state grams designed to help a new gen- R_ Series Man Rangers Rangers the Life Step House House shows a similar trend nationwide. any more,” Duffy said. eration of farmers buy or rent land, HALL New Morning The Waltons The Waltons Little House on the Little House on the Diagnosis Murder SW Prairie Prairie Based on 2002 figures, the average “That just means more income but critics say the federal farm pay- age of America’s estimated 2 mil- leaves the state and the rural com- ment system offsets the good inten- lion farmers is 55.3 years. munities.” tions of future farming programs. The next national agriculture The trend also has contributed to “The reality is that agricultural census is scheduled for 2007, but rising land values and consolidation land, the value of it, the cost of it, WEEKDAYS MARCH 21 - MARCH 27 economists say there is scant evi- of land by bigger, established op- has been artificially inflated by the dence to suggest the trend will re- erators, officials say. unlimited farm payment system,” 12 PM 12:30 1 PM 1:30 2 PM 2:30 3 PM 3:30 4 PM 4:30 5 PM 5:30 While rising land prices benefit verse any time soon. said John Crabtree, spokesman of KLBY/ABC All My Children One Life to Live General Hospital Judge- Judge- Judge Judge News ABC Wld “The average age of the farmer is older farmers, many of whom rely the Center for Rural Affairs, a pri- H h Brown Brown Judy Judy News going up year after year after year,” on cash rent for retirement income, vate, nonprofit farm issues group KSNK/NBC News Inside Days of our Lives Passions The Ellen The Jeop- News NBC L j Edition DeGeneres Show Insider ardy! News said Pat O’Brien, an economist with inflated prices are discouraging the based in Lyon, Neb. KBSL/CBS News Bold, As the World Turns Guiding Light Dr. Phil Oprah Winfrey News CBS the American Farm Bureau. “And hopes of the next generation of “It’s not that the younger genera- 1< NX Beautiful News one result of that is that we’re see- farmers. tion doesn’t want to farm,” he said, K15CG Reading Lions Varied Programs Clifford- Cyber- Arthur Maya & Post- Zoom Busi- ing right now more and more land “It doesn’t take a very smart guy “it’s that we’ve created so many d Rainbow Red chase Miguel cards ness ESPN Varied Programs Around Interrup- SportsCenter being concentrated in the hands of to realize the numbers are stacked economic barriers for them to enter O_ the Horn tion older owners.” against you,” said Steven Houston the field.” USA Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Programs P^ Cont’d TBS Cosby Cosby Steve Steve Drew Drew Yes, Yes, Home Home Seinfeld Seinfeld P_ Show Show Harvey Harvey Carey Carey Dear Dear Improve. Improve. WGN News Magnum, P.I. Da Vinci’s Inquest Cosby Cosby Moesha Moesha Home Home Kansas education official to Pa Show Show Improve. Improve. TNT Judging Amy NYPD Blue Law & Order Law & Order Charmed Charmed QW DSC Varied Programs The New The FBI Files 48 Hours: Hard It Takes a Thief Cash Cash QY Detectives Evidence Cab Cab move on to national position A&E Cold Case Files Varied Programs City Confidential American Justice Q^ TOPEKA (AP) — The woman er’s job when former school chief cial education for the Shawnee Mis- HIST Modern Marvels Varied Programs Bob Corkins beat out to nab the job Andy Tompkins retired last year. sion School District, joined the Q_ NICK Dora the Go Spon- Spon- Jimmy Jimmy Oddpar- Oddpar- Spon- Drake & Ned’s Danny of Kansas commissioner of educa- She initially was one of two final- Kansas State Department of Educa- Rl Explorer Diego geBob geBob Neutron Neutron ents ents geBob Josh School Phantom tion has been picked to oversee ists for the job. Unable to make a tion in 1999 as director of special DISN Higgly- JoJo’s Lilo & Whis- Varied Programs Phil of That’s- Zack & Zack & most of the nation’s special-educa- decision, the state board reopened education and has led the division R] town Circus Stitch kers Future Raven Cody Cody tion programs. the search. Posny remained a final- of learning services since 2001. FAM Family Family Boy Mts. Boy Mts. Full Full Ground- Ground- Gilmore Girls 7th Heaven R_ Matters Matters World World House House ed-Life ed-Life Alexa Posny, the state’s deputy ist — this time one of five — when Corkins, who will choose Pos- HALL Matlock Matlock Little House on the Little House on the M*A*S*H M*A*S*H M*A*S*H M*A*S*H education commissioner, will leave the board’s conservative majority SW Prairie Prairie ny’s replacement, was unavailable next month to become the director voted for Corkins in September.