By Clint Thompson
It is not breaking news to say that times are tough in agriculture. Even before missiles were launched into Iran on Feb. 28, specialty crop growers were feeling the pinch of an unfavorable economy.
Crop prices were not ideal. Input costs, especially with labor, were high. Seasonal imports continued to flow into the country.
The war in the Middle East has made the situation worse. Fuel prices have spiked in recent weeks. So have fertilizer costs. Southeast producers are left reeling. For one Alabama Extension agent, it may be the low point in his career.
“For the first time in my career, and I guess I’ve been with Extension now about 18 years, I’m extremely concerned about the future of ag in the Southeast U.S.,” said Neil Kelly, Alabama regional Extension agent in Southeast Alabama. “Ag will always exist in this country. I understand that, but that doesn’t mean it will be around here. We’re just small fish in a big sea when you talk about ag. I think some of these real lean times are starting to hit the fruit and vegetable industry like it has the row crop.
“I tell you the row crop guys are hurting. They don’t even know what to do. I talked to a guy the other day. He’s five generations deep on their family farm and he said, ‘Neil, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep. I went in there in the office, sat down, got the pen and paper out, got to going over some numbers.’ He said, ‘I just couldn’t find anything on paper that got remotely close to generating a profit.’ He said, ‘Hell, I don’t know what to do.’”