Read the original story here.
Between the effects of record-breaking rainfall, claiming high levels of prevent plant and continued uncertainty over commodity prices, many of South Dakota’s farmers have become even more stressed than usual over the past year.
However, experts who participated in the South Dakota Farm and Ranch Stress Summit in Oacoma this week said producers’ willingness to talk openly about mental health and stressors is on the upswing, as well.
Read the original story here.
In the wettest year on record in the state’s history, an unprecedented number of South Dakota’s farmers have had to rely on prevented planting payments from their crop insurance.
Heather Fillaus, an insurance officer for Farm Credit Services of America, said that between 95 and 98 percent of customers at the insurer’s Mitchell office have claimed prevent plant on at least some of their acreage, although the amount of acreage varies widely from one operation to another. In past years, Fillaus said, it’s been common to see that number under 50 percent.
“We haven’t had a year like 2019 ever before,” Fillaus told The Daily Republic on Thursday. “You talk to some of these 80-year-old farmers, and they say that they’ve never seen a year like this before. … This year, we had guys that farm a vast amount of acres that didn’t get anything planted or that maybe only got a few acres planted, which is very, very outside the norm for around here.”
As one of my final projects for my internship at the Reading Eagle this summer, the other interns and I teamed up to look into the future of farming in Berks County, PA. Read my segments on farmers’ children’s decisions to either stay or leave farm life with the links below.
Farm children have an advantage if they choose to stay in the industry
Farm children talk about the big question: Will they stay or leave?
ellen bardash 