All the Good Things Farmers Do
Article By: Jenny Jereczek
As we look back on another year of volatility in the ag economy, we may find ourselves sometimes questioning the reasons we farm. I have a picture that hangs in my office, and I find myself reading it ever so often. I believe it hits on every reason we choose to be farmers. It goes as follows:
"Farming is a passion, a devoted and honorable way of life. It is a heritage and legacy that connects one generation to the next and the force that feeds the world.
Farming requires a strong mind, big heart and profound patience to weather long hours, harsh conditions, and unpredictable prices. There is a spiritual presence on the farm and in the land. Here, faith, commitment and integrity provide strength for the unwavering labor that is the foundation of life itself.
It is where roots run as deep in the house as they do in the field - where families are bound strong because of shared experiences and are grown with love and tenderness. It is where examples speak louder than words, and where thanksgiving happens more than once a year.
Thank you, God, for agriculture and the life of farming." ~ Bonnie Mohr
I am not sure of any other occupation that can be so trying at times, yet so rewarding in many different ways. Farming offers many intangibles that can be the most rewarding and fulfilling.
When the days are long, prices are not quite where you want them to be and cows are running through the yard, remember "farming is the force that feeds the world."
For some examples that prove the abovementioned quote, here are a few accomplishments of the American Farmer:
- One United States farm feeds 166 people annually in the U.S. and abroad. The global population is expected to increase by 2.2 billion by 2050, which means the world's farmers will have to grow about 70 percent more food than what is now produced.
- In 2018, $139.6 billion worth of American agricultural products were exported around the world. The U.S. sells more food and fiber to world markets than we import, creating a positive agricultural trade balance.
- Careful stewardship by America's food producers has spurred a 34 percent decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982.
*According to the American Farm Bureau Federation: Fast Facts About Agriculture & Food.
Jenny Jereczek is the director of ag banking for Security Financial Bank. She has expertise in several government lending programs, including Farm Service Agency (for which SFB is a Preferred Lender), SBA, WHEDA, and USDA programs, and is licensed to sell crop insurance including multi-peril crop, and crop-hail insurance. To reach Jenny, call 715-672-2427 or email jjereczek@sfbank.com.
