Iowa Farm Bureau young farmer leader points to cost of land, livestock and other inputs as major hurdles but urges peers to seize their opportunities. 

The escalating cost of starting and maintaining a farm poses one of the biggest barriers facing young farmers today, says Michael McEnany, chair of the Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Advisory Committee. 

“Whether it’s livestock or row crop production, just the amount of capital and inputs needed … it makes it very hard,” said McEnany, a Story County Farm Bureau member. In addition to farmland and cash rent prices, he points out that the cost of virtually every other input also has risen with inflation and higher interest rates. 

“If I was going to start a cow herd today, I probably wouldn’t go out tomorrow and be buying a bunch of cows,” he said. “With the expense of everything, it makes it very deterring.”

Still, McEnany encourages as­­piring...