From the New York Times, a story on the challenges faced by young people trying to succeed in agriculture. With the average age of American farmers hitting an all-time high of 57, there's a need for new blood, but not much support:

Emily Oakley, who had worked on an organic farm in California, moved with her husband, Mike Appel, to Oaks, Okla., in pursuit of cheap farmland. But even though they had $25,000 saved, the couple could not get a bank loan. When they applied for a government loan, the loan officer threw back his head and laughed.

He’d never met anybody coming in for a loan for an organic vegetable production,” Ms. Oakley said. “He thought, ‘These are young, naïve, romantic, idealistic kids who didn’t know what they’re getting themselves into.’

Read the full story here.

Related: Read the National Young Farmers’ Coalition survey on the needs of young farmers here.