Jim Mintert closes the Master Farmer panel discussion with the same question almost every year: How do you view the future for your farm and agriculture?

Mintert is a Purdue University Extension ag economist and director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. He facilitates a panel discussion after the new class of Master Farmers is recognized each year.

“These are innovative, aggressive people with experience, and we can all learn from them,” Mintert says.

This year’s class includes Denny Bell, Terre Haute; John and Kristi Kretzmeier, Fowler; Larry Holscher, Vincennes; Stan Poe, Franklin; and Honorary Master Farmer Lonnie Mason, Extension ag educator in Jefferson County. Here is an excerpt of that panel discussion.

Mintert: As you look forward at the next five to 10 years, what do you predict might happen as far as agriculture is concerned?

Holscher: We in agriculture have got to be able to get along with our neighbors and understand that it is important to do so. We need to be aware of what goes down the river, and do what we can to prevent it. This includes paying attention to potential drift or injury from herbicides when we apply near neighboring houses. It also applies to handling manure correctly if you have livestock. We have a turkey operation, and we worked out a plan for handling turkey litter correctly before we started. It’s actually one of the benefits the farm receives from the turkey operation.

Poe: We must continue to strive to be even more efficient. At some point we may need to expand and diversify more. We must remember that if we allow our operation to just stand still, we won’t be around too long. Maybe we could make it for 10 years, 20 years, even 30 years. But at some point, you have to move forward.

Kristie Kretzmeier: We have already begun thinking about how we would bring the next generation into our farm if they want to come back. John and I are first-generation farmers who started from scratch on our own.

We have three kids, and if one or more want to be involved here, we will have to address how we make that transition someday. Splitting things equally may not always be fair to everyone. This is one of the challenges we will be facing in the future. We’re not sure what our operation might look like in the future, but we know we must be ready.

John Kretzmeier: I guess I’m looking at it from more of a practical answer, but as crop farmers, we have to acknowledge that weeds are a growing problem, and realize that herbicides that worked in the past don’t always work now. We have new products even this year to help us deal with resistant weeds, but there are possible issues with some of those products. I believe controlling weeds will be an important part of crop management in the future.    

Mason: Labor efficiency will be an even bigger deal in the future. There are fewer people farming today than before, especially in my area in southeast Indiana. Farmers with specialty crops will still need labor, and sometimes it’s a challenge. How will we deal with the issue of migrants and illegal immigrants working in agriculture? If you’re growing specialty crops, it’s definitely an issue that must be addressed.