Dillon Davidson's Essay on Challenges in Agriculture Catches Eye of USDA
Dillon Davidson was a big fish in a small pond while attending Wilmington College as a result of his scholarship, leadership and service. He’s quickly becoming a big fish in a big pond as a graduate student at Oklahoma State University.
PICTURED: Dillon Davidson (LEFT) is interviewed by Dale Minyo of Ohio Ag Net Radio just weeks before his graduation from Wilmington College last spring.
The 2017 WC graduate recently learned the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) selected his essay highlighting the greatest challenge facing agriculture over the next five years as among the top 10 submitted by graduate students across the nation.
As a result, he received an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., in February for the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, where he will have the opportunity to meet with an array of agriculture professionals in discussing policies, program and practices affecting the future of agriculture.
“I believe the greatest challenge facing agriculture in the next five year is the transition of farms to the next generation,” he said, noting his generation of agriculture professionals will be tested during this transition period in light of the aging population of those in production agriculture, for which the average age is 60 years old.
Davidson, who graduated after three years with a specially designed major in international agriculture, began his graduate studies in that same field this past fall at Oklahoma State University.
He mentioned how well Wilmington College prepared him for graduate school. In fact, his professors continue to serve as mentors and resources. “I still find myself reaching back to certain faculty at WC when I have questions,” he said. “I love the fact that, no matter what, they are so eager to still help.”
Davidson mentioned one of his OSU professors suggested he write the essay.
His paper provided insight into four primary factors making this generational transition especially challenging: commodity prices are low, input costs are high, tax structures for aging farmers are unstable and many families require off-farm income.
Davidson cited a survey on family farms indicating a third do not currently have succession plans in place. Many children of farmers see the recent fall of commodity prices and rising costs associated with crop production as motivating factors for not getting into farming, or forcing them to diversify their operations for profitability — or secure jobs outside farming.
“As producers and consumers, now is the time to sit down and discuss all of the different factors challenging agriculture and how we can ensure a successful future in the industry,” he wrote.
Davidson and others from around the country with industry insight will meet to do just that at next month’s Ag Outlook Forum — where Wilmington College will be well represented.
