By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – The U.S. Department of Agriculture census shows the average age of a principal farm operator increasing from 50.5 in 1982 to 58.3 in 2012, an increase of nearly 8 years. There are several factors that could be behind the average age of farmers steadily increasing.

Illinois Farm Bureau Communications Director Chris Magnuson said technology could be one reason.

“Technology allows [farmers] to be just more productive,” Magnuson said. “And of course the number of acres don’t increase, in fact they decrease a little with urbanization, and so farmers can farm more.”

Gov. Bruce Rauner, who touts his agricultural roots, said his siblings have found other jobs in the economy. Rauner said farm education can help inspire younger farmers.

“That’s why education, technology is driving agriculture,” Rauner said. “We need our young people trained in technology.”

Magnuson said another reason could be too much government regulation.

“There’s a role for regulations, there’s common sense,” Magnuson said, “but if [regulation] exceeds some of that common sense, it becomes a costly burden to small businesses and small family farmers.”

Rauner said laws he signed last week will help address that to “make sure we can bring down the cost of doing business so families can provide for themselves … and the restrictions that [are] holding them back [from] building the family business and keeping it in the family for generations.”

Other issues Magnuson said could be behind the average age increase is the lack of available land and costly barriers to entry.

“There are many young farmers interested in getting into farming,” Magnuson said. “It’s a very capital intensive business. If anything … young farmers are often looking for ground to farm, so it’s not a case of farmers retiring and there’s no one there to fill it. Young farmers, one of their challenges is finding enough ground to be able to farm.”