ELKMONT FARMER AND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT THE FARM BILL

Elkmont farmer Perry McNatt spent a frigid Friday morning working in his barn on a roller picker.  McNatt wants this $500,000 picker ready for next fall. His livelihood in a business that gambles on the weather and commodity prices depends on it. If the crop fails because of a drought or natural disaster, or prices are lower than expected, McNatt and other area farmers look to the federal government for help.
 

Farmers are waiting to see how last week’s renewal of the farm bill Congress passed impacts their future.  They depend on federal subsidies, especially during rough times.  Shane Seay, of the Farm Service Agency in Limestone County, said the farm bill, renewed every five years, is becoming more of a safety net program.  McNatt said farmers “just want the government to guarantee us a profit so we can stay in business.”

Farming is an expensive proposition, especially in row crops. 

McNatt said his farm could easily invest $1 million annually on his 3,000-acre farm.  Most local farms are a combination of owned and lease acreage.  Shaw said farm costs vary greatly, depending on the crop planted, fertilizer and equipment costs and hauling prices. Most local farmers diversify their crops, planting cotton, corn and soybeans. Sunflowers and canola are among the newest crops in the area.

The days of the familiar red, three-wheeled tractor are gone. The machines needed on a farm are growing bigger and more expensive.

McNatt said the average tractor has a 200-horsepower engine and costs close to $250,000. Combines run in the $500,000 range. A new picker can reach $600,000.  Crop insurance — $30 to $50 an acre — is another major expense. It’s required for any farmer who seeks an annual loan to cover seed, fertilizer and other expenses until the crop arrives.  The farmers are excited the new farm bill focuses more on insurance-style programs. They will pick between a program that pays when revenue dips or another that pays when prices drop.

“I would love more protection as long as it’s reasonable,” McNatt said. “Insurance costs keep going up, and it’s getting too high.” McNatt said he received about $40,000 last year in subsidies.

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