SE Minnesota News

Representatives Brad Finstad (MN-01) and Chellie Pingree (ME-01), both members of the House Agriculture Committee, have introduced the bipartisan Agriculture Skills Preparation for Industry Recruitment Efforts (ASPIRE) Act. The legislation aims to address workforce challenges in the agricultural sector by establishing a training program within the USDA’s existing Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.

The ASPIRE Act would provide resources for eligible schools to enhance workforce training, support apprenticeships and internships, and foster partnerships with local agriculture businesses. These efforts are intended to create pathways for students to pursue higher education or careers in farming.

“As a farmer, and a father raising the fifth generation on our family farm, I understand just how critical it is to ensure our future agricultural leaders are fully prepared with the tools they need to thrive,” said Rep. Finstad. “I’m proud to help introduce the ASPIRE Act with Congresswoman Pingree and Senator Smith, which will give those starting in the agricultural profession a solid foundation by facilitating relationships between local agricultural businesses and incoming industry leaders through work-based training programs.”

“In Maine and across America, small family farms are the backbone of our rural communities and local food systems. But as more farmers near retirement and fewer young people enter the field, we’re staring down a serious challenge: Who will grow our food in the decades ahead? Our bipartisan ASPIRE Act offers a solution," said Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01). "By expanding hands-on apprenticeships and internships through USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, the ASPIRE Act will connect aspiring farmers with experienced agricultural businesses, building clear pathways into farming careers and giving the next generation the tools to succeed. When we invest in the next generation of farmers, we're investing in our future: fresh local food, vibrant rural communities, and agricultural traditions that have sustained us for generations."

"Agriculture is the backbone of Minnesota’s diverse economy,” said Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN). "To keep Minnesota’s agriculture economy thriving, we need to continue to invest in the next generation of farmers as the average age of farmers keeps going up. There is more we can be doing to help future farmers fill their shoes. This legislation will provide work-based training programs to support a new generation of farmers and ranchers in Minnesota and around the country.”

The initiative comes at a time when growth in agriculture jobs is projected at only two percent by 2030—lower than other industries—and younger workers make up an increasingly smaller share of this workforce. Farmers under 35 now account for just nine percent of all U.S. agriculture workers; meanwhile, only one percent of available apprenticeships in Minnesota are related to agriculture.

Brad Finstad has represented Minnesota’s 1st district since 2022 after replacing Jim Hagedorn in Congress. He previously served from 2003 to 2009 in the Minnesota House of Representatives and resides in New Ulm where he was born in 1976 and graduated from University of Minnesota with a BS degree.