Read Time: 5 minutes

I recently decided not to take over my family’s farm, which has survived three generations—me being the fourth. The decision has weighed heavily on me despite my love for agriculture and respect for my family’s legacy.

Yet, I had to be completely honest with myself.

And I wanted to share it with you, hoping to spur fruitful and impactful conversations about the viability of agriculture and its future.

Letting My Family Down

Growing up on the farm and working alongside my family was a blessing — seeing how hard they worked and how much they sacrificed season after season.

For me, the feeling of “letting everyone down” was one I rarely talked about.

I’ve been lucky to travel the world and visit farms around the United States and across the globe while charting my own path—but not without seasonal commitments to my family’s farm.

There haven’t been many seasons that I’ve missed—helping with planting in early spring, laying out irrigation pipe in the heat of summer, and working long hours during harvest in the fall.

These times were and are still so special to me.

And I grieve those moments, realizing they are slowly dwindling in frequency.

But a new path is unfolding in its place.

In The Trenches of Industrial Agriculture

Surrounding the local communities of Nebraska is a sea of corn and soy.

Down the road, there are multiple confined animal feedlot operations with tens of thousands of animals—both cattle and pigs. Beyond those is an ethanol plant next door to a soybean processing plant.

A once-rich rural community now grows commodities for conglomerates and financial brokers who have no vested interests locally.

I’ve wanted to grow food for communities, not commodities for conglomerates.

But it’s not as easy as simply growing healthy food for your local community, as herbicide drift threatens any attempt to grow fruits or vegetables.

And if the herbicides don’t kill your specialty crops, the hail and wind surely will test your will — with no insurance options to provide economic reassurance.

It’s not easy to change the status quo in the heart of the corn belt.

However, I recognize that there are many individuals innovating despite the many hurdles — and to you, I salute.

Opportunity Costs of Making a Deeper Impact

Growing up, I intuitively felt that there was a “better” way, but I never really understood what it could look like or if it was even possible.

Early on I realized we weren’t growing food, but feeding an industrial complex that was extractive at it's core — depleting our rural area of its resources, its youthful spirit, and its connectivity to each other through the local economy.

With many moving pieces that make our food system click and keep our fridges full, I felt I had come to a fork in the road in my journey.

Farming full-time anywhere is a marriage that binds you to the local community, economy, and culture — much more than just farming.

But as the proverb goes — “If you chase two rabbits, you catch neither.”

So I decided not to take over my family’s farm.

Since then, my journey has focused on finding my role in contributing to this broader regenerative agricultural movement and accelerating its adoption.

Recently, I launched Farm Marketing, with the intention of combining my passion for regenerative agriculture with my digital marketing and eCommerce background to help make this transformation happen.

I welcome the opportunity to learn more about your personal and business missions and share how I can help accelerate and amplify their impacts.

I look forward to connecting with you.

I am actively looking to join a company, partner on projects, and onboard more clients who want to increase their impact.

Is the Future of Farming First Generation?

Half of Family Farms Have a Succession Plan

We all know the average farmer is in their 60s, but did you know that only half of them have a succession plan in place*?

When I first learned this, it astonished me.

Successful succession planning is not straightforward. It usually involves complex family dynamics, the lack of an operator inheriting the farm, exuberant amounts of debt, and the opportunity for the family to “cash out” with land values continuing to skyrocket across the country.

And I don’t blame families for selling their land and enjoying a hefty payday.

But, where does that leave the next generation?

The Agrarian 1% & The Widening Gap for Consumers

Currently, 1% of the United States population is involved with agriculture**, while the rest of society remains disconnected from the hand that feeds them—an ever-widening gap.

But there is a growing movement of consumers who are demanding more transparency from the food system, asking more questions, and reconnecting with farmers and ranchers directly — eliminating that ever-widening gap.

If you didn’t grow up around agriculture, now is an inspiring time to get involved—even if it is as simple as planting some fruit trees, starting a compost pile in your backyard, or joining a community garden in your neighborhood.

Each of us has a role in increasing that 1% who are involved with agriculture and making it an industry to get excited about and be proud to be a part of.

If anyone you know is looking for a change in their career or itching to get some property to start their own farm — here are 4 questions to jumpstart that journey into food and farming.

Empowering the Next Generation

I personally believe that the next generation is the (re)generation.

It’s a driving factor why I started sharing my story more on LinkedIn.

We must encourage the next generation to embrace agriculture, get excited about the concept of regenerating landscapes, and feel in control of the climate, human health, and ecological challenges we face.

It’s up to us to play our part — whether that is farming the land more regeneratively, building software that helps farmers make clearer decisions, starting a CPG brand that delivers healthier options for consumers, or helping convert food waste resources into productive means.

Whatever your role, I hope you find the courage to follow it fiercely, shining a light on others and giving them permission to follow their personal paths.

Thanks for reading,

Mitch Hinrichs

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