Farmers Want Kids to Pursue Different Careers

CHARLES CITY, Iowa – Life as a farmer is proving to be a tough sell these days, even for kids growing up on farms.

A survey of the National Youth Group (search) found that just 4 percent of its members plan on a career in farming. That low number is due in part to farmers pushing their children into other job fields.

In Charles City, Iowa, 16-year-old Ben Rottinghaus actually wants to be a farmer after going to college. “It's just something I love. I can't really explain it,” Ben said.

However, Ben’s farmer father will have none of it.

"I think he's got talents that would take him a lot farther in another business,” said Vince Rottinghaus, who installs furnaces and air conditioners on the side, since farming alone doesn’t keep his family afloat anymore.

So, Ben works at a store in town, even when his father could use help in the fields.

At the local high school, agriculture classes still have plenty of students but “out of 120, less than 10 will end up actually farming on their own farm,” said Jim Lundberg, the high school agriculture teacher.

It is a growing trend in America as farmers take whatever steps necessary to make sure their children do not follow in their footsteps — and it’s working.

Click here to watch a full report from Fox News' Steve Brown.