The informal survey of young U.S. farmers and ranchers, ages 18-35, was conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation during the 2008 YF&R conference held in Baltimore.

The survey showed that the young farmers' top concern (36 percent) was land and facility availability, followed by overall profitability (20 percent).

Young farmers and ranchers cited increasing urbanization and loss of farmland (14 percent), government regulations (11 percent), and the availability and costs of health care (10 percent) as the next most-pressing challenges.

Eighty-three percent of young farmers and ranchers said they are more optimistic about farming than five years earlier. That's an increase of 4 percentage points over last year's 79 percent.

When young farmers and ranchers were asked if they feel better off now than five years ago, 90 percent indicated they are better off now.

In addition, 92 percent of today's young farmers and ranchers see themselves remaining in farming for the rest of their lives, and 95 percent would like to see their children follow in their footsteps. Eighty-four percent believe their children will be able to follow them in farming and ranching if they choose to do so.

Most (43 percent) of those surveyed said they got started in farming and ranching as a result of a family partnership, but 30 percent said they started in agriculture on their own, without benefit of family ties.

When asked what steps the federal government could take to help them continue farming and ranching, the measure cited most often was greater financial help for beginning farmers (22 percent), followed by maintaining a viable farm income safety net and strengthening private property rights (17 percent each), boosting U.S. agricultural exports and trade (15 percent) and reforming or cutting federal taxes (13 percent).

Two-thirds of survey participants said they believe farm income should come totally from domestic and international markets, while 33 percent said farm income should be supplemented by federal farm program payments. Last year, 63 percent said farm income should come totally from the marketplace, and 79 percent said so in 2006.

For the first time, young farmers and ranchers were asked if state and local issues, such as property taxes, concern them more than federal issues, and 75 percent responded in the affirma- tive.

"The high level of interest in local and state issues by young farmers and ranchers is encouraging," said Bob Stallman, AFBF president. "Their active involvement in Farm Bureau grassroots organizations in every state and 2,800 counties around our nation is critical as we continue working to build strong, prosperous agricultural communities."

Taking care of the environment and practicing conservation stewardship was also important to young farmers and ranchers. Fifty-five percent said they practice conservation tillage at home, and 49 percent rotate three or more crops. Forty percent use soil/tissue analysis, and 36 percent employ integrated pest management and field scouting.

Conservation tillage was cited as the top conservation practice. Rotation of three or more crops and soil/tissue analysis were also ranked high.

The survey also revealed:

* About 90 percent of young farmers and ranchers have cellular telephones and computers.

* Forty-six percent have home satellite television.

* Ninety-nine percent use the Internet in various ways.

* Forty-two percent said they feel the public sees them positively.

* Twenty-nine percent said the public sees farmers negatively or doesn't spend time thinking about them.