While some students hope to land jobs in large metropolitan areas, other students return to their family farms to work.

This was the subject of a panel discussion entitled “Back to the Farm,” held Wednesday evening in the Memorial Union.

Sponsored by the Collegiate Farm Bureau Club, this marks the fifth year the event has taken place during Iowa State’s Ag Week.

The discussion featured four speakers who spoke about farming in the 1990s, followed by questions from the audience.

The first speaker was John Baker, the director of Farm On, a program that matches up landowners and farmers without heirs to young people who want to get into farming.

Baker discussed Ag Link, a seminar for juniors and seniors who are going back to the family farm.

In his line of work he encounters many problems with this, mostly in a lack of planning and consideration of what will occur, he said.

The next speaker was Brian Weber, a 1994 ISU agriculture graduate.

He said he returned to his family farm in Tama county after graduation.

Weber said he thought everything Baker said is important. He said he found having another job besides farming beneficial.

He said it is beneficial to be involved in activities outside the classroom, adding that his degree is very useful.

“Utilize the time you have now,” he said. “Get involved.”

Weber said he looked at other career opportunities while at ISU, but decided he still wanted to return to the farm.

“The biggest advice I can give is become involved at ISU and learn about areas that interest you,” he said.

The third to speak was Shannon Fesenmeyer, a representative of Iowa’s Agricultural Development Authority.

She talked about a state program, the Beginning Farmer Loan Program, which makes it possible for banks and contract sellers to offer loans to beginning farmers at a lower interest rate.

The program has closed 2,304 loans since November 1981, and the money is used primarily for land.

Fesenmeyer also spoke of other IADA programs, such as the Loan Participation Program, the Iowa Young Farmer Education Association and various youth programs.

The final speaker was Roger Bruene, the ISU College of Agriculture career services director. He discussed how to take advantage of a college degree returning to the farm and some possibilities for second jobs while farming.

Bruene suggested people “find some kind of niche and think big.”

Many members of the audience called the panel discussion beneficial.

“I think it was great to hear the older people who have been through situations and get their point of view,” said Brent Perry, freshman in agricultural studies. “You can always learn a lot from people who have had experience.”

“It was valuable information,” said Keith Gehling, senior in agricultural studies. “It’s a lot of knowledge we can take back with us to the farm to communicate with our parents and decide if it’s feasible,” he said.

Shane Irving, freshman in animal science, said the discussion “was very beneficial, but there is a lot to be learned still.”

“It’s opening a door to be able to buy land,” said Eric O’Connell, senior in agricultural studies.

Mindy Hibma, ISU Collegiate Farm Bureau Club president and senior in agricultural business and agronomy, said she was glad to see such a large turnout for the event.

“The panelists did a great job and made important points. I hope the audience enjoyed it,” she said.