By Peter Szymczak, publications manager, Oregon Association of Nurseries (Diggermagazine.com)

The horticulture industry must accentuate the positive if it is to cultivate a new crop of plant professionals.

The law speaking, goes like this: “You catch more flies with honey than you do attraction, colloquially with vinegar.” The horticulture industry is heeding this homespun wisdom as it tries to attract new workers to its ranks.

There’s good reason for sweetening the pitch. The average age of Oregon farmers and ranchers is at an all-time high — 60 years and climbing. The United States is on the cusp of the largest retirement of farmers in its history, with more farmers over the age of 75 than between the ages of 35 and 44.

Ideally, there would be a new generation to take the outgoing one’s place, but
that is not the case.

A recent survey found only 26 percent of 18–24-year-olds agreed with the statement, “Horticulture is a diverse area of study, and it offers viable, fulfilling and respected career paths.”

Why have young adults today soured on horticulture? Partly because only one percent of the population is farmers, so many simply lack first-hand exposure to ag. The rest have been conditioned to associate jobs in horticulture with long hours, hard work and low pay. (Read full article here.)