the average farmer is 58. here's how automation keeps the next generation on the land

By Dave Oberting, Questr Automation LLC, [email protected], 304.679.1889.

You can survive a bad market. You can recover from a difficult growing season. But if nobody is prepared to run the farm next, the future gets much harder to protect.

According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, the average American farm producer is 58.1 years old, and more than 63% are at least 55. Family farms still account for the vast majority of U.S. producers : but many are approaching a succession decision without a clear, affordable path forward.

For farms in Virginia and across Appalachia, automation is becoming part of that succession plan.

Make the farm less physically demanding

The next generation may want to farm, but they may not want to spend 12 hours a day on repetitive, back-breaking chores.

That is understandable. Carrying feed, checking water lines, monitoring livestock, moving equipment, and recording field conditions all consume time and energy. Practical automation can handle portions of those jobs through tools such as:

• Automated feeding and watering systems
• Soil moisture sensors
• Remote livestock monitoring
• Drone-based crop scouting
• Automated recordkeeping and alerts

These systems do not replace good judgment. They reduce the number of tasks that require someone to be physically present every minute.

Improve the succession math

A farm must support the people who operate it. That means succession is not only an emotional conversation : it is a financial one.

Consider a farm that saves 400 labor hours per year. At $25 per hour, that represents $10,000 in annual labor value. Reduce wasted water, feed, fertilizer, or fuel by another 10% to 20%, and the operation may generate thousands of dollars more in breathing room.

That matters when the farm needs to:

1. Pay a younger family member a reliable income.
2. Support two generations during a transition.
3. Invest in equipment without taking on unmanageable debt.
4. Expand production without adding another full-time employee.

This is why we view automation as a cost-saving essential, not a luxury reserved for large operations.

Start Small, Scale Fast

You do not need to automate the entire farm at once. Start with one measurable problem : perhaps water use, feeding labor, or daily monitoring.

Questr’s ROOST initiative follows that same Start Small, Scale Fast approach. The goal is to identify proven systems, install them on working farms, and measure whether they save time, reduce costs, or improve consistency.

The people who install and maintain those systems matter, too. ROOST’s apprenticeship track, developed with Blue Ridge Community College, connects agricultural knowledge with modern technical skills. Training in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades helps create local career paths in automation maintenance, precision agriculture, and smart-farm operations.

That gives the next generation another reason to stay : or come back. They can build a career on the farm while working with technology, solving problems, and improving the business their family worked to build.

If you are planning for the next generation, start by listing the three tasks that consume the most labor or create the most physical strain. Questr can help you evaluate affordable farm automation for Virginia small farms and identify practical farm labor shortage solutions for family farms.

Contact us to start the conversation : no pressure, just a clearer look at what may fit your operation.

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