55 Years And Counting From The Tractor Seat

By bill whitman 

 From what I can see in the national reports, harvest is mostly done or close to being finished. Unfortunately, for many, little or no money will be left after paying the bills. There’s at least one generation if not two that haven’t experienced losing money before. There’s a chance if you contracted grain last year, you may have slid by this year.

If your grandparents are still around, they may be a wealth of information, having cycled through poor prices or similar circumstances several times in the past. And guess what, they’re still here.

It has been interesting for me to watch the younger folks struggle to adopt a more conservative attitude during harvest, even as they were being encouraged to get every bushel, keeping loss and waste to a standard they haven’t had to do before. I watched a young man combine several acres of corn that had been reseeded crossways with the rest of the field. His dad had told him to combine it with the rows, but he chose to combine crossways. His dad took him out to the field and showed him how much corn he had missed. Dad estimated that he had lost several hundred bushels and grandpa pointed out that even when you’re losing money, every bushel lost adds to that loss. I hope the young man learned.

I have been pleasantly surprised that several younger generation FarmTubers have freely admitted that they overspent in the good years and are suffering for it today. The new equipment is nice when you can pay for it, but is an albatross when you will be lucky if you can negotiate interest only this year. The same with land purchases. Since I have long advocated for younger farmers to make better use of older equipment, I encourage all younger farmers to always hold the line on utilizing equipment beyond the warranty. That said, land purchases are kind of a “bite the bullet” expense. Negotiate short-term loans that can take advantage of lower interest rates when they become available.

As we grapple with which bills to pay and how to secure next year’s inputs, we probably should factor in the possibility that Congress may not have a farm bill or even continuance of the current bill before the next season. The effect this will have on credit and insurance is unknown. You might find that it’s a good time to contact your congressman to encourage passage. There’s been a great deal of concern about this issue over the past months, and it is quickly becoming probable that we may have to navigate some very rough waters as a result.

With all the bad news regarding prices, lack of a farm bill, and inflation out of control, please don’t despair. One of the characteristics of the American farmer has always been the ability to persevere through the most difficult times. I might also suggest that the government cannot ignore the realities of our problems. Food remains the first of the three requirements for survival, along with shelter and clothing. I have said many times over the past months, there is a reason why church pews are occupied on Sundays. So far, He hasn’t failed us yet.

If the current pressures are causing you to feel depressed or find ways to self-medicate, be aware of the mental health resources available in your area. They are available and there’s no shame in reaching out.

IndianaAg@bluemarble.net