The Sentinel: Farm Industry

CAFOs on the rise in Illinois, large scale operations putting pressure on small farmers

Chad Wallace sells his product locally to get the best prices. Many farmers in his position are left discouraged by the difficulties they face in going against the industrial ag industry practices.

baby pigs

Concentrated animal feeding operations, also known as CAFO, in Illinois are hurting small farmers and possibly the environment due underregulation by the state.

Photo: Emilian Robert Vicol/Pixabay

by Judith Ruiz-Branch
Illinois News Connection

CHICAGO - Illinois is known for having some of the weakest environmental laws for concentrated animal feeding operations, with a lack of oversight and public transparency for the entire process. A coalition of rural landowners is working to change it.

In Illinois, it is estimated there are more than 21,000 concentrated animal feeding operations.

Chad Wallace, director of rural affairs for the Illinois Environmental Council, works with the Illinois Livestock Reform Coalition, which has about 70 members across states. They are trying to come up with legislative solutions for the growing concerns of landowners who have been affected by them.

"The industry is basically embedded," Wallace acknowledged. "It is very hard for folks to go up against something that is so broad and so organized."

Nearly all applications submitted in Illinois over the past decade have been approved. Wallace pointed out several attempts to introduce legislation to increase regulation have failed, with the most recent in 2019 for a proposed moratorium on lagoons being used for holding confinement waste.

More than 90% of animals raised for agriculture in the U.S. come from concentrated animal feeding operations, yet environmental advocates argued the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is unaware of the locations of the majority of operations, making it difficult to regulate them and account for their environmental impact.

Wallace, who grew up in a farming family, raises beef, pork and lamb and has been approached by people wanting to construct operations on his land. He declined but noted it came with a cost.

"One of the struggles is constantly having to build the value of your product due to not being in the industry," Wallace explained.

Wallace sells locally to get the best prices for his products. He added many in his position are left discouraged by the difficulties they face in going against the industrial ag industry. Proponents of concentrated animal feeding operations said they are an economic necessity to keep retail prices of meat, milk and eggs affordable for consumers, and are crucial to the viability of rural communities.

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It’s time to talk about rural mental health challenges

In farming, you often have to work even when you're not feeling well. There are no options to call off or get substitutes when you need time off. The strong work ethic passed down from fathers to sons (and daughters in many cases) is admirable, but it can lead to medical issues if not managed properly.

Photo: Melissa Mayes/PEXELS

by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

ALTON - While living in Greene County, Illinois, in the 1980s and 1990s, Lea Anne Varble took a gut punch each time she heard about a suicide in her community. Eight to 10 in total in 15 years, she says.

“It just took me aback,” she says.

What the tragedies had in common: the person faced mental health challenges common to a rural setting.

Lea Anne Varble

Varble, a clinical psychotherapist at OSF HealthCare, knew she had to do something about it. So not only did she devote higher education time to studying the problem, but she’s also now getting the word out about the resources available.

The issues

Varble says stress and isolation are often experienced by people living in a rural setting, such as a farmer. There’s also a desire to be self-sufficient – a trope associated with farmers and other rural residents for decades.

“People living rurally often are independent. So, when stress comes, they want to handle it on their own,” Varble says.

Varble also knows the issues – stress, anxiety and even depression – of planting and harvest season.

“Hours and hours,” in the field, she says. “You’re expected to keep working even if you don’t feel well. Even if the stress is getting to you. You have to get up and do it again. Or at least that’s what your father before you did and his father before him.”

The work ethic can be admirable, but it can lead to medical issues if left unchecked.

And, the heads of some rural households are caring for two generations: their kids and their parents. School, chronic illnesses and advanced care planning are just more things to add to the to-do list. Varble adds that older adults in a rural setting are more likely to see themselves as a burden and choose to end their life.

Treatment

Varble says getting better starts simply with noticing the problem and talking about it with a trusted adult, like a friend, family member, faith leader or a medical professional.

The good news is that mental health professionals have made strides in this area, such as telemedicine and mobile health services. And society is more willing to talk about mental health. Farming magazines have articles on mental health, for example.

Other ways to help that Varble has picked up over the years:

Get to know your neighbors and local organizations, like churches and businesses. Then, lean on them for help when the stress gets to be too much.
Look into resources offered by state or federal agencies. In Illinois, where Varble works, the Family Farm Resource Initiative operates a 24/7 hotline and email.
“Individuals can receive support from trained professionals who understand the unique challenges faced by those in the agricultural sector,” the initiative website states. “The helpline offers specialized assistance, including mental health resources and agriculture-related support, ensuring that farm families have access to the help they need.”
Health care professionals should encourage people with rural backgrounds to become therapists.

“It’s someone from their community who understands what’s going on,” Varble says.

American farmers are being robbed blind by corporation profiteers

by Jim Hightower
OtherWords

America’s agriculture policies were written by corporate lobbyists who couldn’t run a watermelon stand

A farmer was asked what he’d do if he won a million-dollar lottery. “Well,” he said, “I guess I’d just keep farming ‘til the money runs out.”

Trying to make a living as a farmer is not for the fainthearted. You have to take out high-interest loans from cold-eyed bankers to put in a crop and buy supplies. Then you’re also at the mercy of everything from bugs to monopolistic middlemen. And here’s a cruel twist: If you defy the odds and produce a great crop, you lose money!

Lynn Danielson/Unsplash

This is happening right now. With unusually-good weather this year, corn and soybean harvests are expected to set records. But this abundance creates a market glut, allowing middlemen to knock down prices paid to farmers. A bushel of Illinois corn, for example, costs farmers $4.30 to produce, but they’re only getting $3.70 for it.

Meanwhile, the cost of such basics as seed, fertilizer, and tractors are skyrocketing. High costs coupled with low crop prices means that farmers’ income is expected to drop by 25 percent this year.

You might call this good crop-bad price phenomenon “ironic.” But it’s deliberate – an inevitable product of America’s perverse agricultural policy that pushes farmers to over produce in order to keep commodity prices low for giant processors and retailers. Little known fact: Our national “farm policy” is not written by farmers but by corporate lobbyists, lawyers, and economists – people who couldn’t run a watermelon stand if we gave them the melons and had the highway patrol flag down the customers for them.

That has got to change. To join an effort to demand a farm bill written by and for farmers, consumers, workers, and our environment, go to: FarmAid.org/Take-Action.

About the author ~

OtherWords columnist Jim Hightower is a radio commentator, writer, and public speaker. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

Illinois land improvement association host annual trade show February 1st and 2nd

GALVA - The Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association (ILICA) will be hosting its annual trade show February 1-2 at the Isle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf, IA. The trade show opens on Thursday, February 1 starting at 1 pm until 5 pm, and again on Friday, February 2 from 8 am to 12 pm.

The trade show includes more than 35 construction industry exhibitors. The event is mainly tailored for landowners, agribusiness professionals, conservationists, contractors, and ag producers but is also open to the general public. There is no charge for admission, and registered attendees are automatically entered in a cash drawing worth $500.

"We are excited to continue to showcase our strong network of professional members and partners that play such a critical role in the implementation of conservation across the state," said Ryan Arch, Executive Director of Illinois LICA. "Illinois’ continued conservation efforts require collaboration and communication, and our hope is that by making our exhibitors and members more accessible we can further assist with this process."

Illinois LICA has hosted a trade show as a regular staple of their Annual Convention & Members’ Meeting for 65 years. This year's annual convention offers numerous educational seminars, septic license CEU training and an awards banquet.

Show goers can talk to industry professionals and manufacturers for latest trends, technology and equipment available for excavation, earthmoving, landscaping, drainage, on-site waste treatment, paving, reclamation, and trucking.

"By offering free trade show admission during our convention, our goal is to help make connections for individuals outside of our group to further Illinois LICA’s mission and commitment to natural resource conservation," Arch said.

For more information, visit www.illica.net/events or call (309) 932-1230.

Guest Commentary | Just so you know, foreign companies are buy up America

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

According an article on the Business Insider website, the world's total land mass consists of 36.8 billion acres of inhabitable land.

Amazingly, just few people own a lot of our planet.

King Charles III or the Crown Estate owns 6.6 billion acres of land worldwide. This includes Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada (90%), Australia (23 %) and a few other spots here and there. They also own the Falkland Islands.

With 6.6 billion acres, King Charles III or the Crown Estate, is far and away the world's largest landowner, with the closest runner-up (King Salman, Saudi Arabia) who holds control over a mere 547 million acres and a net worth of over $18 billion.

Coming in number three on the list is Pope Francis.110 acres owned by The Holy See constitute Vatican City. Also, roughly 17 million more acreage of various lands are owned by the Catholic Church throughout the globe, including the hundreds of Vatican embassies that are legally titled to The Holy See as an independent nation.

Ted Turner ranks high in major world land owners with over 2 million acres of land owned in Georgia, Montana and Argentina.

Jeff Bezos owns about 400,000 acres with much of that being in Texas. Bill Gates owns about 242,000 acres of farmland according to celebrity.net.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, USDA, there are approximately 911 million acres of farmland in the United States

There has been concern about China’s growing land purchases in the United States. Chinese purchases of U.S agricultural land has sparked concern in Congress among a bipartisan group of lawmakers—but 18 other countries own more American agricultural acres than China.

Here are some of the American landowners:

1. Canada (12,845,000 acres)
2. Netherlands (4,875,000 acres)
3. Italy (2,703,000 acres)
4. United Kingdom (2,538,000 acres)
5. Germany (2,269,000 acres)
6. Portugal (1,483,000 acres)
7. France (1,316,000 acres)
8. Denmark (856,000 acres)
9. Luxembourg (802,000 acres)
10. Ireland (760,000 acres)

China ranks number 18 and owns roughly 384,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land, according to a 2021 report from the Department of Agriculture. Of that, 195,000 acres, worth almost $2 billion when purchased, are owned by 85 Chinese investors, which could be individuals, companies or the government. The other 189,000 acres were worth $235 million when purchased and are owned by 62 U.S. corporations with Chinese shareholders. Chinese agricultural land ownership only increased about 550 acres from 2015 to 2019. Then, their ownership jumped 30% from 2019 (Forges.com)

Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group bought 300 acres of land near Grand Forks, North Dakota, to set up a milling plant. The project is located about 20 minutes from the Grand Forks Air Force Base, raising national security concerns. (CNBC.COM)

Then known as Shuanghui Group, WH Group purchased Smithfield Foods in 2013 for $4.72 billion. It was the largest Chinese acquisition of an American company at that time.

Bourbon lovers might be surprised to learn that a large number of Kentucky favorites are owned by Japanese companies. Way back in 2014 Japan-based Suntory bought Jim Beam at a 25 percent premium over market value for $16 billion. That means the world's best-selling bourbon, Jim Beam, is actually owned by a Japanese company. Suntory also owns Maker's Mark, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden.

If you have American land or business to sell, no worries, someone from China or another foreign country just might be interested.

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He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Agriculture tour businesses eligible for new tax credit

SPRINGFIELD -- Businesses focused on agritourism are now eligible to receive up to $1,000 back on liability insurance costs in 2022 and 2023 under recently-passed legislation.

The goal of the Agritourism Liability Tax Credit is to reduce the cost-of-doing-business for farm operations open for the public to enjoy. Businesses like pumpkin patches, apple orchards, petting zoos, hayrack rides, corn mazes and more may apply for the funding.

"As we continue to build back our state's tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this tax credit program will provide our agritourism businesses with the aid they need to sustain operations," said Governor JB Pritzker. "From spooky hayrides and corn mazes this Halloween season to educational exhibits and guided tours, it is our longstanding agricultural tradition that attracts visitors from around the nation and world. Thanks to the leadership and hard work of the IDOA, our agribusiness partners will have the support they need to show more and more people what makes Illinois, Illinois."

The deadline to apply for the 2022 tax year is February 28, 2023. Farm operations can check eligibility and apply here.

Playing a critical role, American farmers are stepping up to help solve global hunger

Farm implement in the early morning field

Noah Buscher/Upsplash

StatePoint Media -- With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, supply chain problems stemming from the global pandemic, and the world struggling under escalating inflation and a rapidly changing climate, the global hunger crisis has reached new levels.

Every night, more than 800 million people go to bed hungry, with the number of severely food-insecure people more than doubling from 135 million before COVID-19 to 345 million today, according to the World Food Program. At the same time, American agricultural exports of farm and food products shattered records in 2021 to total $177 billion, according to the USDA, demonstrating the instrumental role American farmers play in the U.S. economy, and in feeding the world.

"It’s more important than ever that the United States continues to lead globally to protect food systems abroad and our citizens at home from supply chain disruptions and rising prices," said Dan Glickman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Senior Advisor at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. "As we face growing threats and crises on the global stage from wars, drought, climate change and food insecurity, farmers are part of the solution and will play a key role helping to save lives."

This is the driving idea behind a newly-launched initiative: Farmers for Prosperity. This network of agribusiness leaders is committed to U.S. global engagement by harnessing American resources to feed the world. Convened by the USGLC, Farmers for Prosperity will also shine a spotlight on both the role farmers play in solving critical global issues, and on why U.S. global leadership is essential to protect the security, health and economic interests of American families.

The launch of Farmers for Prosperity recently took place at USGLC’s Heartland Summit, hosted in Minnetonka, Minnesota, West Lafayette, Indiana, and Wichita, Kansas. The Summit, an annual event, convenes leaders this year from across the heartland with the aim of unpacking how strategic investments in agriculture, digital technology and global development help create jobs, feed the hungry, reduce poverty and keep America safe. Advocates are highlighting this year’s biggest takeaways:

• When communities are food insecure, it can lead to instability, slowing economic growth, perpetuating conflict, impacting child development and worsening malnutrition. Working with partners around the world, American farmers can help feed the world and save lives.

• U.S. leadership on the global stage is vital to advancing national economic and security interests, and agriculture is a part of that equation. Farmers have unique and important views on what it takes for the United States and the world to prosper, making it important for them to help shape foreign policy by educating policymakers on the challenges on the ground.

• Ensuring that American farmers have access to developing and emerging markets around the world is critical for the domestic economy. U.S. agricultural exports support over 1.3 million jobs on the farm and in related industries such as food processing and transportation.

To watch the 2022 Heartland Summit or learn more about Farmers for Prosperity, visit heartland.usglc.org

"Farmers around the world are not all that different. Together, they grow the food that sustains communities. At a time of global crisis, American farmers can lead the effort to tackle hunger and food insecurity," says Glickman.