"The future of our state’s agriculture is closely tied to the available opportunities for young farm families," said Harkin. "As the average age of Iowa farmers continues to increase, young farmers are becoming few and far between. We must look for ways to ensure that new generations of Iowans can take their place working in production agriculture in our state."

Farm bill provisions which will help beginning farmers become more successful include:

• Improves USDA’s Down Payment Loan Program to lend down payment money for purchasing farmland. USDA will now lend 40%, up from 30%, of purchase price for 15 years, up from 10 years.

• Establishes a pilot project to provide U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan guarantees on contract land sales to beginning farmers and ranchers. This will help beginning farmers in states like Iowa where a majority of their agricultural land is sold through land sale contracts.

• Reserves funding specifically for beginning farmers for direct and guaranteed farm ownership and operating loans and for reduced interest rates.

• Increases opportunity for beginning farmers to buy land held by USDA in its inventory.

• Grants the Secretary of Agriculture new authority to provide beginning farmers and ranchers enhanced incentives to participate in conservation programs. This will not only provide new farm opportunities for beginning farmers but it will also encourage long-term land stewardship.

• Increases beginning farmer cost share for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the new Conservation Security Program. Beginning farmers will receive an increased level of cost-share, up to 90% instead of a 75% cost share which is available to all producers.

• Creates a new research and extension program to provide comprehensive training, education, outreach, and technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers so they can adopt the latest in innovative farming and marketing approaches.

"Supporting farmers and beginning farmers is what the farm bill is all about. We must help those who need the most help getting their feet on the ground, and in today’s agricultural climate those are beginning farmers. The long term success of rural Iowa depends on the next generation of farmers and this farm bill will help them make a go of it," said Harkin.