European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 13, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine Many farm children Are preparing for non farm career leaving the land by William Robbins new York times l if Many farm . Any Ollie often dreamed of a Cero or on the inn his lately farms near Hiawatha in northeastern Kansas not far from Tho Nebraska Border like Fanny of them Howo Vor. In has abandoned that dream in the face of the unrelenting Finan Cial crisis plaguing the nation s Farmr. He s seen How Tough it is around  fur Mother. Kalherine he s already  a lot of our neighbors lose their land " Jay in enrolled at Kansas state University in manhat Tan Danone of the country s leading agricultural col Leges. But he is studying dentistry not farming i want to be sure of a steady and secure income he says. Largely because of the deepening financial problems among Farmers Many Rural youths Are making similar decisions. A declining number of Young people now attend agricultural colleges and Lewer of those who do plan to return to the land after graduation As a result of these trends teachers of agriculture foresee a generation with fewer Farmers to fill agriculture s wide array of business and scientific needs it scares me when i think about what s going to happen in farming said Gregory Johnston who teaches agriculture at Hutchinson Community College in South Central Kansas. Right around Here there s a tremendous number of older people farming with no body left at Home to turn it Over  u n in us left anti advice from an agriculture teacher on the family farm in Haven  Damn Unrun in y Friday december 13, 1985 Gene love Pennsylvania state University s associate Dean of residential instruction said the decline in enrolment at agricultural colleges is really going to cause problems in the research laboratories and Indus  although the numbers of agricultural students at smaller colleges has remained relatively stable total undergraduate enrolment at agricultural colleges of 77 Large universities Tell by 18 percent from 98.469 to 80,991, in the period 1981 to 1984. According to a recent report by a study group headed by  my l or. Associate Dean of agriculture at Kansas stat.1 t n Roll meals in two year agricultural programs Olla Edify big universities have declined by about 50 percent in the same period from 6,524 to 3,280. Those developments educators and administrators in agriculture say. Underscore a warning issued  years ago by a study group of the National association of state universities and land Grant colleges. Major institutions offering agricultural courses the United states cannot continue As the Lead nation in agriculture without new efforts for the development of its human capital the group said. Ameri can agriculture is seriously threatened by deepening shortages of highly qualified scientists managers and technical  Mugler and others said that declining interest in Agri cultural studies would make it difficult to replace professors and administrators Many of whom were educated under veterans programs after world War ii and Are approaching retirement. In addition the 1982 study by the land Grant College association cited a 13 per cent shortage of College graduates in agricultural Engi Neering management Extension services and Plant and animal research. Meanwhile. Census Bureau figures reflect the begin Ning of a decline in the number of Young people who remain in farming. The number of Farmers under 35 years old Rose steadily from about ?75.000 in 1970 to 458.000 in 1982 and then started dropping by the end of 1984 the total was 421.000. Around Here you can count the Young banners on three  said Wesley Beal a 22-year-old Grad uate of Kansas stale As he paused outside a lot near mount Hope in South Central Kansas where tie Aru his father fatten thousands of sheep. In this Community there Are three Farmers under 30. And i am one of  from everything we hear it seems that the younger Farmers Are the ones who have been hit the hardest said Calvin Beale who Heads the population Section of the agriculture department s economic research service in Washington. Among agricultural graduates of 14 institutions in the Large North Central Region of the National association of state universities and land Grant colleges Lor example nearly 14 percent returned to farming in 1977. By 1984 the Rale was 10 percent. One of those who has seen some of the clearest evidence of that trend is Barry Flinchbaugh. Professor of agricultural economics at Kansas stale. Each year Flinchbaugh said he asks How Many of his students plan to farm Over the years he said the number has declined. Last year Only about 10 of 105 raised their hands. But even that number is still too Many he asserted adding. The Only sensible Way to get Farmers income up is to reduce the number of  meanwhile some experts say Lewer Young people who decide to remain in farming Are obtaining College training. I get out into the country and what i Hoar concerns  said James Oblinger. Associate Dean of agriculture at the University of Missouri. They say. Shoot. I Don t need College i in just going Back into farming As competitive As Larr Ning is now. They need every Edge they can get. And i Don t see How hat can help but affect the efficiency of  the educators say there Are Complex reasons for the enrolment decline in addition to financial problems. Most cite a shrinking Pool of High school graduates a population trend that was first reflected in National averages in 1982 but began earlier in some of the states where agricultural students Are most numerous. Meanwhile however school administrators say the decline in enrolment is increasing Competition among businesses and research establishments Lor graduates with College training in agriculture. The stars and stripes Page 13