I am also surprised by it due to the fact that "Farmers and ranchers have parents who are farmers and ranchers at a rate 8 times the rest of the population."
Being a farmer myself, I don't think I have ever met a fellow farmer who didn't also have parents in the business. In my experience, the hurdles of getting into the role (required capital, knowledge, etc.) in this day in age seem insurmountable without family help. While anecdotal, I find it difficult to believe it is that close to computer programmers, where first generation workers appear to be quite common.
Being a farmer myself, I don't think I have ever met a fellow farmer who didn't also have parents in the business. In my experience, the hurdles of getting into the role (required capital, knowledge, etc.) in this day in age seem insurmountable without family help. While anecdotal, I find it difficult to believe it is that close to computer programmers, where first generation workers appear to be quite common.