"Start small" is great, but we need first-generation producers who can go big, too.
Stay with me.
Most of the posts I see about helping first-generation producers have some element of "start small" in them, and I get it, I really do! It's much easier to fund a smaller operation and then grow without having to take out a huge loan, and starting small is a great way to get your foot in the door.
But, we also need first-generation producers with the skills to farm and ranch in a big way, because big farms and ranches are always going to exist, we're going to need people to run them, and running a large operation (or even working for one) requires a different skillset. With more family businesses selling out or scaling and hiring outside help, and more wealthy land owners buying ranches and hiring out the management, large ag operations management is a skill that more first-generation producers will need to learn.
It's not greed - I'm not saying we should just hand over large ranches to first-gen producers. But "start small" is not the solution for the future of the entire industry because a resilient food system includes operations of all shapes and sizes.
How do we teach the people who want to learn "big ranching" the skills that are necessary? Well, I think a lot of big ranches already have the beginnings of the answer to this one: teach people who want to learn large-scale ranching while working for a big ranch. Most big ranches have internship programs already in place and have room for advancement as employees learn new skills. Some provide personal development and continuing education assistance, too, and large ranches often have better housing and compensation plans. The major limitation here is that most interns or brand-new ranch employees tend to be younger and there aren't as many options for older first-time employees/students.
Another avenue is formalized education - e.g. the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management or TCU's Ranch Management program, the caveat being that academic learning needs to be coupled with practical experience.
I think there are also cool possibilities for more partnerships between large ranches and land grant universities to expose students to operations on a large scale, or have grant funding made available for new producers of all ages to get the experience and form the relationships they need.
However it happens, I know we can find ways to help new producers at any scale, whether they want to start small, run a big place, or somewhere in between, or a combination of those things (hey, it's us!)
