Earlier this month farmers and ranchers from across North Dakota were in Washington. This annual legislative fly-ins is organized by National Farmers Union. The main focus of this year's fly-in was disaster aid.
Scientists estimate the ongoing drought across the western United States is the third severest in this nation's history. Disaster aid isn't just in North Dakota problem. Securing disaster aid will take more than leadership by North Dakota's elected officals. Often, it takes real farmers and ranchers calling on Capitol Hill to put a face on a disaster.
Unlike a hurricane, a drought takes time to do its damage. And since it doesn't knock over buildings or whip trees into the air, a drought doesn't make the evening news. It is a silent disaster in terms of national attention. Yet severe weather disasters can be just as harmful as an earthquake or a hurricane. Excessively dry weather or excessive rain can ruin a farmer's crops. Remember, a farmer's entire income comes down to harvest. Without a crop, a farmer is out of a year's worth of income. At the same time, livestock producers are being forced to sell off herds because they don't have enough feed.
In North Dakota, agriculture accounts for 25% of the stat's economy. When farm and ranch income suffers, the economic losses ripple through Main Street businesses in communities small and large.
The disaster package Farmers Union members are seeking is not a bailout. It is designed to help offset the losses being incurred by farm and ranch families.
Joining us in Wasington, D.C. were in fact, more than 30 farm organizations. they are working together to convince Congress of the need for a disaster package.
This is a national concern. There is no doubt the heartland is this nation is hurting.
For now, the disaster package faces an uphill battle. Among lawmakers of urban states, support for agriculture is simply not a priority. This is one reason why disasters packages have such a tough time in the house. Add in the pressures of an election year and it's easy to see why some lawmakers may have other concerns on their minds. Again, this explains why it is important to have farmers and ranchers stopping by to explain how severe weather has harmed our operations, and why a disaster package can help.Wether Congress will revisit a disaster package following the elections is doubtful. To secure legislation to bring a small measure of economic healing to the heartland.
Here at the whempnerfarm we are feeling this hurt also. We were suppose to buy more sheep this year, but with the drought our hay bales were very, very light. We have a baler that puts out 1200lb bales and the average bale weight was 550 to 650lbs. Our hay crop is our source of feed. We had to sale feed just to make half of the land payment. We also had to sale our fat lambs instead of keeping our girl -lambs back for breeding stock. I put corn up but that didn't amount to much either.
We have friends and neighbors that can't even make their land payments. They are also talking of selling out. You see alot of auctions going up around the North Dakota area now. North Dakota has been in a drought for 5 years now. I'm trying really hard to hold on but1 more year of drought and we will be done too. Something has to give soon. All of us can't keep doing this. It was my husband worked the oil-fields in North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming just to keep us going but now I'm having to hold down a full time job also. Just so we can keep floating. Which we are close to sinking.
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Comments: 2
MI has it share of woes when it comes to the weather and farming. Too wet in spring can't plant, not enough summer rain poor output, too much rain in fall crops rot in the field. Snow is tolerable but bitter cold winter are death on livestock numbers and extreme summer heat takes it's toll too. If the weather doesn't kill the family farm here the lack of resource for outside income will. Our job market is the worst in the nation. I know that if it weren't that our children are grown and on their own we would be in dire straights. The economy of the last ten years has taken all our retirement savings and a big bite of the equity we had in the farm. Ours is just a small farm but when you look at the big farms going under the average American does not realize that another farmer is not moving in to take over. No that land is being bought up by the entrepreneurs who are splitting up farms in desirable areas and building estates that I have no clue who could afford to expand suburbia. And all the while our fat cat politicians sitting back collecting huge salaries and throwing their hands up and saying there is nothing they can do to help us out.
I plan on helping myself by voting against every incumbent that is running. May not do much but at least I will have had my say!