A fourth-generation farmer, Greg Gill has been growing peanuts, soybeans, corn and rice in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, since 1977. Farming has always been his way of life. His wife, Kim, and younger son, Nash, work alongside him, helping tend to his 10,000 acres, and his older son, Gary, struck out on his own to farm just like his father.
“My grandfather farmed, my dad farmed, I started farming, and now my sons farm, so it has basically been our livelihood my whole life,” Greg said.
Agriculture plays a major role in supporting the rural community of Walnut Ridge and economically impacts nearly every business in the area.
“As a fourth-generation farmer, agriculture has always been my family’s livelihood, and I look forward to passing down the family tradition.” – Greg Gill
“According to those outside of farming, our industry is extremely important to our community,” Greg said. “If farmers are struggling, they don’t buy as many radios, their families don’t buy as many clothes, they don’t sell as many vehicles. We take our impact and responsibility to our community very seriously.”
Sustainability is a hot topic in agriculture, and Greg has several measures in place to help maintain and care for his land. He protects the ground by leaving crop residue until spring and will plant behind former crops when possible.
Technology is also vital for farmers today, and with resources like GPS tractors, grid sampling, swath control and variable rate fertilizer, farmers are able to plant and care for more crops with less waste. While technology is helping make farming more sustainable, the next generation of young, aspiring farmers don’t have the means to dive into the industry.
“I think the average age of farmers is close to 70, and with the cost involved, it is going to be extremely challenging for young farmers to get started unless they come from a farming family,” Greg said. Greg plans to farm his 10,000 acres for several more years but looks forward to passing it down to his family to keep the tradition alive. One of the biggest challenges the industry faces today is labor shortage and rising input prices. With these challenges, farmers are going to be in high demand in the coming years. Peco’s goal is to continue building relationships with farmers and neighbors, while supporting the local communities, to create a sustainable supply chain for everyone.