April 20, 2020
Farmers move ahead with job that can’t wait — feeding America
Farmers from Butler and Stoddard counties are encountering various challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gary Deardorff, who runs a cattle and farming operation in Stoddard County, said transportation already is becoming an issue. While he hasn’t encountered any problems shipping cattle, he said, some feed lots are getting backed up...
Kyle Smith Staff Writer
__“There’s no such thing as putting off. A lot of people are counting on us. If we shut down now, we’re shut down for the whole year.” Ethan Doyle, Poplar Bluff__
Farmers from Butler and Stoddard counties are encountering various challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gary Deardorff, who runs a cattle and farming operation in Stoddard County, said transportation already is becoming an issue.
While he hasn’t encountered any problems shipping cattle, he said, some feed lots are getting backed up.
“Our feed lot in Kansas had 800 head (last) week, and the packers took them,” Deardorff said. “There was another 1,000 head (in reefers).”
Deardorff said processing plants have begun shutting down because they can’t find enough drivers to ship the meat.
“It’s getting serious for the beef and poultry industry,” he said. “We can’t hold onto that stuff forever. … Everything’s backing up.”
Ethan Doyle, who grows corn, rice and soybeans on his farm south of Poplar Bluff, agrees that transportation is going to be a big issue.
Truckers, who transport agriculture products, might encounter some difficulties while on the road because of stay-at-home orders, said Juan Cabrera-Garcia, field specialist in horticulture for Butler County Extension.
“In areas where travel is restricted — like in Reynolds County — you are encouraged to download documents to take with you going from home to the farm,” Cabrera-Garcia said. “(The Department of Homeland Security) has a template letter.”
The letter may be downloaded from agriculture.mo.gov after clicking on the COVID-19 Resources link.
Doyle said his income could drop significantly if the pandemic continues into the summer months.
“The markets have been hit hard since this happened,” he said. “About every crop has taken a significant drop with maybe the exception of rice.”
Deardorff grows corn, wheat and beans and makes a lot of silage to feed cattle.
Ethanol plants are shutting down because fuel demand has collapsed during the coronavirus pandemic.
A big chunk of his corn goes to ethanol. The cost per bushel has dropped significantly in the past couple of months.
The plant shutdowns are hurting the feed industry because corn byproducts are derived from ethanol production.
__Farm safety__
“Owners of farms need to make sure their employees practice social distancing, six feet between people; wash hands frequently; avoid touching the face,” Cabrera-Garcia said, “and someone who is sick should stay at home.”
“My employees are still coming in. They still work because we have to work,” Deardorff said. “We’re being as safe as we can. We’re feeding cattle and planting corn.”
Doyle has several friends who help him part-time, and he has made sure his workers are spread out.
“We’re trying to be careful,” Doyle said. “We have several older employees. I don’t want them to get sick, but they know it’s time to put a crop in.
“We only have one time to go. We can’t wait and put it in later. There’s no such thing as putting off. A lot of people are counting on us. If we shut down now, we’re shut down for the whole year.”
According to Cabrera-Garcia, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance says people working on farms should wear protective face masks.
Any surface, which touches produce must be sanitized, he said. The Environmental Protection Agency has a list of COVID-19 sanitizers.
__Food safety__
As for making sure food is safe for consumption, the agriculture industry already enforces tight guidelines.
Ranchers are required to keep a close eye on the health of their cattle, according to Deardorff.
Those tight measures make sure the animals are healthy.
As far as crops are concerned, Cabrera-Garcia said, safety rules are always in effect to prevent the contamination of food.
“We offer a 7- to 8-hour course (on safety),” Cabrera-Garcia said. “Farms that make more than $25,000 in produce sales are required to become certified.
“Growers have to have someone trained on the safety rules.”
__Good for now__
Deardorff said fertilizer, seed and chemicals are in good supply.
Doyle hasn’t had any problems obtaining the supplies he needs, but he is concerned with getting parts for his equipment down the road.
He said right now the parts are available, but the situation becomes concerning if the pandemic continues for a long period of time.
“They’ll struggle more with getting parts,” he said. “It may take a little longer getting restocked.”
__Late start__
Both Deardorff and Doyle have been slowed by the excessive rainfall over the winter.
“The (wet) weather has had an effect,” Deardorff said. “We didn’t start planting corn until (last) week. We’re two weeks behind.”
Doyle said began working his land two weeks ago, but hasn’t yet begun planting his crops.
Ideally, he would be planting near the end of March into early April.
__Here to help__
• Cabrera-Garcia said some farmers’ markets might not be able to operate this year.
“They need to look into changing the way they do things,” he said. “Markets in Columbia and Springfield are moving to online sales, curbside delivery and drive-thrus.”
Cabrera-Garcia recommended Happy Hollow Farm of Jamestown (happyhollowfarm-mo.com) as a good example of online sales and how a farm can change and adapt.
• The University of Missouri is offering weekly commercial horticulture town hall meetings. The first was held Wednesday, April 8. People may register online at ipm.missouri.edu.
“Four areas we’re covering are home horticulture, commercial horticulture, forages/livestock and field crops,” Cabrera-Garcia said.
__Town halls will be held each Wednesday__
For more information, visit https://ipm.missouri.edu/TownHalls/.
• While all Missouri Extension offices are closed, farmers are encouraged to send their soil samples directly to the MU Soil Testing Laboratory in Columbia, 23 Mumford Hall, Columbia, Mo., 65211. For more information, visit soilplantlab.missouri.edu for more information.
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