Local farmers are grappling with drought and high prices for both fuel and fertilizer this spring.
Over 90% of Wyoming is experiencing some form of drought. Kerin Clark, executive vice president of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, said the impact of low snowpack will be immense for local farmers.
“The drought is definitely going to impact the ability for crops to grow, for cattle to have range land to graze on, that water to irrigate crops,” said Clark.
She also pointed to increased fire risk as a concern this summer. The climatic conditions are colliding with another challenge for farmers: high costs. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has dramatically increased the prices of both fuel and fertilizer.
“The cost of fertilizer right now is definitely of utmost concern,” said Clark. “In talking with our farmers around the state of Wyoming, many of them are having to make decisions of what fields they fertilize and what fields they don’t fertilize.”
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), farm diesel prices have increased 46% since the end of February. In a survey administered by AFBF, 70% of respondents reported being unable to afford all the fertilizer they needed. Clark shared that representatives with AFBF and some state farm bureaus met with United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins last month to discuss rising fertilizer costs.
Clark emphasized that food security is an issue of national security.
“It’s of utmost importance to national security and then of utmost importance for the consumers to have that food that’s readily available and affordable,” said Clark.
Despite the complex decisions ahead for some farmers, she remains hopeful.
“Farmers and ranchers are absolutely amazing to me. They’re the most resourceful people around, because they will always take whatever they have and make what’s the best of it,” said Clark.
The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation plans to keep advocating for its members at the national level.
