THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — "I think everybody is realizing that we need— especially a younger population of farmers," says Dr. Robert Taylor.
Dr. Robert Taylor is the dean of college of agriculture for Florida A&M University. For the last 10 years he's noticed many changes that have occurred in agriculture, but one thing remains the same, the farmers.
"There are professions such as medicine, and even engineering, business, that are more attractive to society plays up to that," says Taylor.
With the population growing at a rapid pace, farmers are working to keep up with the demand of food. However, with the combination of climate change and lack of workers it is not an easy task.
"Farmers are roughly right now in their late 50s/60s and they need to be replaced by younger individuals," says Taylor.
Produce market owner Cindy Lewis, thinks the younger generation may be uninterested due to unpleasant working conditions.
"I just feel like it's just the heat and to get out and work. I mean nobody wants to wok hardly anymore. They just don't want to work," says Lewis.
Dr. Taylor feels there is a way to combat this shortage of young workers by adding technology to the equation.
"Use of drones. Use of remote sensing. IN other words, you may not need to go out in the field to try and determine if you have enough water," says Taylor.
