The majority of new farmers in Wisconsin in recent years are first-generation, according to a new state report.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, there are 3,000 new farmers who started operations in Wisconsin between 2008 and 2012. A survey from the Wisconsin Farm Center — an agricultural resource center within DATCP — found that 60 percent of those beginning farmers are first-generation.

Center director Kathy Schmitt said many new farmers today want to swap office spaces for open fields. "That lifestyle component draws a lot of people into farming that don't have that kind of background," she said.

However, Schmitt said that it appears that new farmers can easily get sidetracked by the farming itself and ignore other responsibilities.

"Typically, the things that are not so fun, like records or writing down plans, get left behind," she said.

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The survey found that the majority of beginning farmers don't have a written business plan — something Schmitt said can "make the difference between getting a loan or not."

According to the study, new farmers are also forgoing traditional agricultural education: 80 percent of farmers surveyed said they turn the Internet when they need agricultural information. Fewer of them reported turning to workshops, conferences, or resources within the University of Wisconsin System.

"Many beginning farmers are working another job, so getting away to go to a conference or workshop is difficult for them," she said.

While the Internet has made agricultural information more accessible, Schmitt said there are still gaps in knowledge that can be addressed through one-on-one assistance.