The newly released National Young Farmer Survey says beginning producers have many obstacles to overcome to get started. Those include access to land, mounting student loan debt and unaffordable health care. Center for Rural Affairs Public Policy Associate Anna Johnson says it will require deliberate policy changes at all levels of government to help those beginning producers succeed.

Johnson says the current state of the ag economy, combined with recent high land prices, makes it even tougher for beginning farmers to get started.

She says in the short-term legislation has been introduced that could assist young producers with risk management and gaining access to land.

The survey released by the National Young Farmers Coalition collected data from more than 3,500 farmers under 40.