
On another occasion a student wanted to explore
what an alternative future for him might look like. It was becoming obvious
that his future was not in farming. The family homestead of several generations
was about to go under. There wouldn't be a farming operation for him to take
over. You could see the grief of his forebears in his eyes.

Net farm income has declined by 50% since 2013.
Median farm income for 2019 is forecast at -$1,449. You can only go so many
years where the cost of production is more than the income from the product
before it's bankruptcy or, increasingly, suicide. Besides, that 2019 projection
was likely before we understood the continuing consequences of the trade war
with China. Soybeans have already taken a nose dive and can likely drop further
with the increased tariffs. One wonders how farm state Republicans like our own
can stay so muted about what's happening to their major constituents, as a clueless
President strives to run the business of trade like his personal real estate
investment. It seems this President is at war with everyone, either in a war of
words, a trade war, a sanctions war, or, God forbid, a new hot war with Iran.
If all that wasn't bad enough, we have an
administration hell bent on doing everything it can to increase the climate
crisis while farm families are underwater. The future farming climate is clear,
as we hit 415 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for the first time in
human history; hotter and wetter. That's not very good news to agricultural
workers in the Midwest, already waiting on flooded fields to plant their crops.
Now, as I write this, we're looking at five more straight days of rain.

Suicide among farmers is not limited to India
and the U.S. In Australia a farmer dies by suicide every four days. In the U.K.
it's one a week. And in France a farmer dies by suicide every two days.

One such organization in our own backyard is
Dakota Rural Action. The DRA mission statement reads, "Dakota Rural Action
is a grassroots, family agriculture and conservation group that organizes South
Dakotans to protect our family farmers and ranchers, natural resources and
unique way of life." As important, is their mission statement for rural
vitality. "To lead South Dakota citizens toward a knowledgeable
understanding of the relationship between agriculture and the environment;
supporting and promoting agricultural systems that protect our air quality,
water quality, public health and socio-economics; and sustaining vibrant
communities for future generations."

Carl Kline
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