By PHILIPPA STEVENSON and NZPA
Many children of farmers are not keen to adopt their parents' lifestyle, says a rural survey.
A survey by the Affco meat company shows that two-thirds of farmers believe it is unlikely that their children will spend more than half their working lives in the rural sector.
Only about a third think that their children will work most of their lives on the land.
Affco chief executive Ross Townshend said the survey confirmed a growing view that the tradition of handing farms down to the next generation could be a thing of the past.
Nearly half the farmers surveyed said they wanted to pass the farm on to their children or a relative but many offspring did not want to take up the offer.
Mr Townshend said the issue of "succession management" had become a big dilemma for the farming industry.
The sector was fighting a perception problem and could be facing a rural brain-drain, he said.
"Not only are farmers having trouble attracting enough skilled workers, they are also facing the challenge of securing their own offspring's interest in the industry."
The survey also showed that 55 per cent of rural New Zealanders believed that the country was heading down the wrong track. This was an increase of 11 per cent on the previous survey.
But they were optimistic about the agricultural sector, with 70 per cent of farmers expecting conditions in the industry to improve in the next year.
Mr Townshend said farming was the backbone of the nation's economy, and the lack of overall economic faith, combined with issues surrounding succession management, should be a concern to the Government and business.
Both parties needed to work together to promote farming to young people as an attractive business, career and lifestyle choice.
This year, Affco has awarded 10 $2500 training grants to young farmers seeking to improve their farm management skills.
It has also awarded five scholarships, each worth $5000, to second and third-year tertiary-level undergraduate students.
Meanwhile, the Salvation Army has approved 30 scholarships valued at a total of $120,000 to allow young people to attend Lincoln University and Telford Rural Polytechnic in Balclutha.
The scholarships, granted through the army's Edmund Sanderson Jeff farm scholarship scheme, include studies relating to general agriculture, agricultural science and commerce, dairy practice, farm management and forestry.
The Salvation Army owns and manages a substantial holding in the Kaiwera district, near Gore. It runs 20,000 stock units, comprising Romney sheep, predominantly Hereford cattle and an increasing deer herd.
Youngsters turn backs on a career in the country
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