Farm Crises in the US
Farm Crises in the USCrisis Among Us
The farm crisis in America has struck millions of families. The devastation of low crop prices and the declining livestock prices has driven many families to poverty, or worse. Many Americans do not realize the affect of low prices on farmers, or the flooding of farmland.
The flooding of farmlands in northeastern South Dakota has caused many farmers to move off of their land. The Government has recently declared it a disaster area and started buying back much of the swallowed land. Yet, government help does not solve all the emotional problems. Many farmers have done nothing but farm, how are they supposed to support their families with no other work background.
Not only is flooding a problem, but livestock prices is also an issue. Many livestock owners are unable to receive the price they deserve because of the low priced meat coming from Canada. Many businesses would rather pay less for a product, not caring that it affects area farmers. Governor Janklow had put a stop to the low priced meat from entering the state. This stop only helped the farmers a little bit.
Low grain prices are the talk of the crisis. Prices of grain are lower than what they were in the 1930's, during the Great Depression (Williams 8). Soybeans have hit their lowest price since 1972, about four dollars a bushel. This is less than most farmers' cost of production. Worldwide prices of wheat are at their lowest levels, yet Canadian grain farmers receive fewer price supports than the US and Europe. The drought in Montana has caused prices to slump. With the Canadian export policies ad the 1996 Freedom of Farmers Act has painfully decreased US subsidies to grain farmers.
Since the low prices, suicide rates of farmers have gone up. A widow from Iowa wrote a letter to the governor that states "I am convinced from evidence in our house that my husband listened to the grain markets at noon, as he usually did, heard them go lower, then committed suicide. His letter reads: 'The only thing I will regret is leaving the children and you. This farming has brought me a lot of memories, some happy, but most of grief (True Grit).' " This was typical of many farmers. In Canada, a farmers watch was set up. The local farmers would call their neighbors to check up on them. A crisis hotline had also been set up for families to call in.
The ever-growing popularity of hog farming is also an issue. Many people fear the contamination of ground water by the hogs. Now, in South Dakota, farmers have to get an okay from the state before they can begin their farms. Many of the hog farms have been shut down by the state, causing families to make a change, both...
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