Survey shows optimism among farmers

The results are in from a survey of farmers at the recent farm progress show in Alleman. The Iowa Farm Bureau conducted the survey, and spokesman Aaron Putze says it shows optimism, despite some tough times.He says for the most part farmers are optimistic about agriculture and its future. Putze says the unscientific survey of over 200 farmers shows a good attitude among farmers.He says the fall harvest time is generally an optimistic time for farmers, and the passage of the new farm bill has also boosted optimism.Over a third of the farmers who completed the survey said they, or their spouse, worked in an off farm job.He says 58-percent of the farmers in the survey said they needed the extra income from off farm jobs to stay in farming. Putze says that shows a continued need to find ways to increase on-farm income. Putze says the survey confirmed the greying of farmers, with sixty-five percent saying they’re 46 or older.Eighty-one percent of the farmers did say they would choose farming as their occupation if they had do it all over again.