Dear editor:

I pray this year will bring prosperity for everyone, especially American farmers.

We were blessed with better weather in Wyoming  last year, and sugar growers in Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska  and Colorado  completed a successful  harvest season.`

This year alone the cost of food in grocery stores has doubled. Milk, eggs, bread and meat are climbing higher almost every day, but not much of the high cost of groceries is passed down to the American farmers.  Food is a basic human necessity, and yet millions of people around the world are forced to do without.

U.S. farmers’ cost of production has been increasing, especially with higher fuel costs in 2022.  As a result, profit  margins have been  shrinking each year. My husband Rick and I grow our crops with flood irrigation. The cost of fuel to irrigate our crops is unbelievable. 

Today the Farm Bill is important federal legislation for food and farming, and it impacts access to nutritious food for the millions of people in America who are struggling with hunger. The federal nutrition programs ensure families do not go hungry.  

The Farm Bill has the largest anti-hunger program in the United States, called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This program, serving more than 43 million people in America, is a cornerstone federal program to help hardworking families during difficult times. The Farm Bill also has The Emergency Food Assistance Program which purchases  and distributes food to low income Americans through emergency food banks.

It is amazing to know that less than 1.5% of our population is involved in production agriculture, and the United States still can provide food for so many. 

U.S. lawmakers must understand the importance of agriculture and implement a constructive 2023 Farm Bill to help our beloved country.

There is worldwide economic uncertainty. We should support American farmers as they are the founders of our nation.

Sincerely,

Klodette Stroh

Powell

National Sugar Chairman

Women Involved in Farm Economics