Labor Force Dwindles in Effectiveness 



There has been a change in the composition as well as in 

 the number of persons reported as working on farms. With 

 the reduction in the number of farm workers, more farm 

 women, elderly men, and other farm residents who previ- 

 ously had not been doing farm work have replaced those who 

 left farms. The 1943 farm labor force will have the highest 

 proportion of women, children, aged, and inexperienced per- 

 sons in recent history. This will result in some diminution in 

 the effectiveness and quality of the labor force. 



The depression prevented many older farmers from re- 

 tiring as rapidly as otherwise they would have done. Con- 

 sequently the average age of farm operators is the highest 

 in history. In 1940 there were about twice as many operators 

 over forty-four years of age as there were prior to World 

 War I (table 2) . The age distribution is not uniform through- 

 out the nation. Seventy per cent of New York's farmers are 

 over forty-four years of age. These older farmers, though long 

 on experience and judgment, are short on physical endurance. 

 The rising average age of farm operators will be an obstacle 

 to the maintaining of food production. 



TABLE 2. CHANGING AGE OF FARM OPERATORS IN THE 

 UNITED STATES* 



* Census of the United States: 1900, Special Reports Occupations; 1910, 1920, 1930 

 Population; 1940, Agriculture Summaries by Subjects; United States Department of Commerce. 



