OFI 2057: How Do You Pay For Yourself When You Return To The Family Farm | FFA SAE Edition | Noah Richards | Wapsie Valley High School FFA

Off-Farm Income

Noah Richards is 11 days away from graduating high school and pursing the life he loves, farming. Noah's parents purchased their own land and had their own dairy infrastructure built after they were married. They have been dairy farming ever since, and this is how Noah and his sister grew up. Noah has his sights set on this life as well.

After high school graduation he will head to Hawkeye Community College for two years to study agricultural business with the hopes of returning to the farm. During that two year period, he and his parents will have to assess how this is financially possible. Is there a way that having Noah on the farm as a full-time employee will increase revenue enough to pay his salary? This is a problem that many farms and ranches must solve when a child wants to come back.

There are no employees on Noah's family dairy. His sister is now an FFA Advisor, so it is just Noah and his parents taking care of things. Therefore, there is not an employee position that could be eliminated to make room for Noah. Expansion? A new enterprise? A service business? What are the options to make this happen?