Page 32 - KMA Ag Mag 2020

32 Overcoming Current Challenges in the Ag Community
KMAland 2020
CHALLENGES

always been challenges soybeans were $16. I farming operation all at
ahead of me following knew that I couldn’t the same time. The deci-
my passion of farming. make a living from the sions I made didn’t only
I am fortunate to have small acres I was farm- affect me anymore. My
grown up in a commu- ing so I needed to add son was born in 2016
nity based around agri- another income source. and fortunately I was a
culture. You can’t drive I took over the fam- recipient of Tri-Valley
a mile without seeing ily seed dealership and Bank’s Ag scholarship
something involving made it into a business. that same month. That
agricul-
Life was great! I moved money made a huge dif-
production
By Jeremy Walter
C aren’t ture. home and started grow- ference in my operation
After high school I ing my farming opera- that year. Not everyone
Challenges
knew I wanted to come tion with the help of my was fortunate enough to
something new to farm-
ers, but there are always
but my mom told me I ful landlord who was The next year was even
new challenges that back to the family farm, family and a very help- be given such a thing.
farmers face. Different needed a piece of paper willing to take a risk on more difficult both fi-
challenges look dif- to say I continued my a young boy with big nancially and mentally.
ferently to everyone. education as a backup dreams. That same sum- With dreams of grow-
Farming is a practice plan. I thought she was mer I got engaged and ing my operation and
that has always had my off her rocker; she was built a house on land I family something had to
attention from the start. right. I attended South- purchased from my dad change. Through many
From riding in tractors east Community Col- and the following year I sleepless nights and
with my dad and grand- lege in Beatrice, NE and was married. long conversations with
pa putting in and taking received my Associates Shortly after that time my family I decided to
out the crops to starting Degree in Ag Business market prices took a dive apply for another job.
my cattle herd while in and Management Tech- and that’s when things This is where that little
third grade. There have nology. When I gradu- got hard. I was trying piece of paper my mom
ated, corn was $8, and to grow my family and told me about came in