August 2019 - 4

EDITOR'S LETTER
Help where it's needed
When an Iowa congressman joined
several of his colleagues to introduce in
2018 a measure for inclusion in the farm
bill to address rural economic stress, he
identified some of the myriad of challenges
faced by farm operators.
" For four years in a row, farm income has
been down. Commodity prices are low.
Inputs and equipment are expensive, " Rep.
David Young, R-Iowa, said in a statement.
" Coupled with fears of retaliation against
agriculture from the possibility of a trade
war, many farmers are on edge. Our farm
families are resilient, but they face mounting
pressure which can have a significant impact on their emotions and
mental health. "
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" Our farmers feed the world and work in an environment which can
be stressful because of their dependence on changing markets, weather
and other factors outside of their control, " Young said.
Such discussion led to enhanced treatment of the issue in the 2018
Farm Bill. The Farmers First Act authorizes $10 million for each of the
next five years to provide behavioral health counseling for financially and
emotionally distressed farmers, ranchers, farm workers and their families,
along with other forms of assistance as necessary. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa,
cosponsored the act with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin.
Suicide is a concern in the agriculture industry. Workplace suicide
prevention strategies include employee assistance programs, workplace
wellness programs, technology to provide online mental health
screenings and web-based tools, and reduction of stigma toward helpseeking
and mental illness.
Farm operators comprise the most resilient - and in turn highly
resourceful - individuals to be found anywhere. Farmers are known to
support their own. Neighbors helping neighbors is often the first line of
defense when a crisis strikes.
In a recent report in the Post Bulletin, Rochester, Minnesota, reporter
Brian Todd documented the plight of an Altura, Minnesota, couple,
Lonny and Sandy Dietz, who took a novel approach to solving a
temporary setback.
The Dietzes, who own and operate Whitewater Gardens Farm
near Altura, were asking for $20,000 through the crowd-funding
site GoFundMe, stating that a series of setbacks left them facing the
possibility of bankruptcy if they do not raise the funds by July 31.
" The bank wanted us to cut our debt load down, " said Sandy Dietz.
" Our main debt load is from this greenhouse project. "
The project, the Dietzes said, was an investment made eight years ago
to give the Dietzes year-round growing capabilities. Unfortunately, the
geothermal heat for the greenhouse hasn't worked as planned, and the
bad investment has been compounded by repeated attempts to find the
right combination of plants that would work, Lonny Dietz said.
After years of mounting debt, the Dietzes have taken several steps to
fix their debt load going forward. They've sold 40 of the 136 acres they
owned. They planned to sell another 16 acres as well.
Friends pledged $20,000 to help the farm survive. Between that, the
sale of the land to reduce debt, and Lonny Dietz taking a job off the
farm to make ends meet, the couple now needs just another $20,000
from the GoFundMe site.
Using crowd-funding is viewed as a modern expression of a longstanding
tradition in the agricultural community, coming to the aid of
neighbors in need.
The numerous needs of farmers take many forms. Thankfully, so are
the resources at their disposal.
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THEY SAID IT
It kind of goes back to the whole idea that a farm is
part of the environment it resides in. "
- JOE PEZZINI, OCEAN MIST FARMS
P. 6
4 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
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AgInjuryNews.org
enables users to
search the largest database of publicly
available U.S. agricultural injury and
fatality reports.
Survey: Higher than average colony loss
seen by US beekeepers
Beekeepers across the United States lost
40.7% of their honeybee colonies from
April 2018 to April 2019, according to
preliminary results of the latest annual
nationwide survey.
Aug. 20-21 are dates for NASGA tour in
western Pennsylvania
The North American Strawberry
Growers Association (NASGA) is
holding its 2019 Summer Tour as they
visit farms in western Pennsylvania.
Butterfly acquires Bolthouse Farms from
Campbell Soup for $510M
Bolthouse has leading market positions
in fresh carrots and refrigerated
premium beverages in the U.S.,
along with a growing presence in
refrigerated salad dressings.
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August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2019
