If you take away the illness part of this COVID-19 and look at all the rest, you are experiencing what we farmers have been going through for the past 5-6years.
For us it’s been the uncertainty of weather – too much rain, not enough rain, bugs, machinery breakdowns. The cost of production – fuel, seed, fertilizers, chemicals, employees. Someone else setting your pay. If this all doesn’t fall into place within a very small margin we fail. We fail to make a living; we fail to take care of our families.
With the virus businesses are closing in wait. They are forced to stop working and stay in the comfort of their homes. When this is over, if they open will they have the supplies they need? Will the average person have a job to return to? They hear money might be coming to help but don’t know. Meanwhile they have bills to pay and families to feed. Business owners are responsible for their employees – do they pay them out of their own pockets? Farmers go without many times to pay for those who work with them.
Not knowing how or when this will end is the uncertainty people are living with now.
The whole world sees the problem. The whole world talks about the problem. The whole world experiences the problem.
Not knowing how or when farming in the red will end is the uncertainty farmers have been living with for years - alone. Together, alone we farmers have been dealing with this. The attention of how farmers will survive is lost on the average person.
Once again, take away the illness part and welcome to the world of farming. The difference is we are still working, the world isn’t too concerned and with all the factors that can’t be controlled the future is out there waving in the breeze like a feather floating to the earth. No one knows where it will land.
Stay safe, shelter at home, wash your hands and pray for an answer for both scenarios.
