Farmers in America are killing themselves in staggering numbers

CBS Money Watch ^ | June 26, 2018 | Irana Ivanova

[tired&retired]

Milk prices are so low the dairy sent a flyer with the suicide hotline number along with the milk check settlement paperwork.

[tired&retired]

The feeling of helplessness among farmers who are normally eternal optimists.

[fso301]

Unreliable finances are a major reason why three-quarters of farmers must rely on non-farm income, often from a second job.

And those second shift factory jobs farmers used to rely on are gone.

[a fool in paradise]

>>”Think about trying to live today on the income you had 15 years ago.”

Plenty of degreed professionals in the tech industry who are over 50 are having to accept this.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Produce imports from Central and South America have no small part to play. They’d never be allowed to operate here the way they do there, due to our labor and farming regulations.

[Norski]

Here is a fascinating talk on Permaculture Farming by Joel Salatin. He talks about farmers today, the history of farming in America, and the changes from then to now. He also provides some serious solutions to some of the current problems.

Joel Salatin: “Folks, This Ain’t Normal” | Talks at Google

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBZgANtcXm8

[BunnySlippers]

Very sad. I come from a family of farmers. My dad was one of nine sions who farmed in Ventura ... [and 2 female Catholic nuns].

There is a lot of quiet dignity in farming.

[Finalapproach29er]

yes.
Farming puts one closer to God by necessity.Produces humble good people.

[Patriot777]

That’s the next thing that should be on President Trump’s MAGA list—restore the farm grants/subsidies, run the EPA out of the farmers’ hair and once the crops start rolling in (which with proper irrigation will be quick), cut the food imports by 1/2 from Mexico, Central and South America and especially China.

[Patriot777]

As a youngster I loved working in my dad’s giant gardens, from soil preparation in the late fall/winter to plowing, tilling, planting and gathering. We always had more than enough to give away. The hard work made me strong and created an unshakeable bond between my father and I, and knowing that God himself brought every seedling up to new life to maturity and the sheer delight and beauty of it always staggered my imagination and I know blessed God.

[T-Bird45]

The article mentions 2013 as a pivotal year and it was for me personally as I sold a small farm I’d inherited in 1999. The income had been spotty from agriculture but was on a short uptrend so I thought it might be a good time to sell. A neighbor wanted to buy and accepted the price proposed from having the farm evaluated. It’s one of my rare examples of good timing in the market.

[Norski]

Here is a fascinating talk on Permaculture Farming by Joel Salatin. He talks about farmers today, the history of farming in America, and the changes from then to now. He also provides some serious solutions to some of the current problems.

Joel Salatin: “Folks, This Ain’t Normal” | Talks at Google

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBZgANtcXm8

Beginning at minute 49, the discussion of Monsanto begins.

[4Runner]

Illegal aliens Produce imports from Central and South America have no small part to play. They’d never be allowed to squat on private property operate here the way they do there, due to our lax border control immigrationlabor and farming regulations.

Left-wing judges awarding illegals private property in lawsuits against American property owners. Plus not being able to do a damned thing legally about poachers and trespassers once they've arrived on your land especially if you're in a sanctuary state. If a farm is anything, it's open land vulnerable to poaching by the invading hordes from Central and South America. This has been going on for dozens of years. And you can bet the LSM are blacking out these stories.

[Socon-Econ]

Uh, oh. Another tax and spend scheme is on the way. This may not be PC, but it’s not always the fault of somebody else whenever there’s a suicide.

[Dixie Yooper]

When governments are the largest customers, guess who controls the price of the product? When the person creating the product has no control over the price of their product, they have become servants. The family farmers lost control of their future back in the 1960’s. They nearly lost all control of their land during Obama’s legacy.

[kearnyirish2]

You’re right; good point. Here in the NYC metro area there are plenty of stories of transit delays because people are walking in front of trains. Many of these are occurring in northeastern NJ, where that demographic is more likely to be saddled with a mortgage (and have children that would be uprooted from their schools); tenants in NYC who lose a job simply pack up & leave.

[CopperTop]

I notice that SeeBS manages to conveniently avoid any mention of strangling regulations from their party's bully bureaus.

azzoles..

[jdsteel]

“A lot of our farmers take out operating loans so they can buy seed, fertilizer and spray. As we're looking at increasing interest rates, this is going to exacerbate financial vulnerability,"

This is no different than other small businesses. I’ve had to do it myself more than once.

[MayflowerMadam]

Most of the families in our church where I grew up were farmers. Both of my grandfathers were farmers. The best people, and so hardworking in their 24/7 jobs, and never complaining that I can recall.