Thread by @File411, The coronavirus impact goes beyond healthcare Family Farms are filing bankruptcy at [...]

The coronavirus impact goes beyond healthcare
Family Farms are filing bankruptcy at an alarming rate.
Farmers need customers, not tariffs
“What about us?
What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
What about love? What about trust?
What about us?”

P!nk - What about us

That video and subsequent thread is dedicated to @JWBoydNBFA he’s been sounding the alarm for years.
I’m lucky enough to call him “my friend” and he trust my opinions & research
The economic impact on small family run (multi-generational too) farms under Trump’s crushing tariffs

See supplemental thread
because this is going to be a really uncomfortable discussion but someone needs to have it before we lose a vital American Industry.
Before it’s too late & I fear we are on the ledge https://twitter.com/File411/status/1241395473279303680?s=20

https://twitter.com/File411/status/1241395473279303680?s=20

From the USDA-ERS

“Net cash farm income is forecast to decrease $10.9 billion (9.0 percent) to $109.6 billion in 2020, relative to the 2019 forecast...”
Data & facts - me likely, a lot

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-sector-income-finances/farm-sector-income-forecast/

There’s an intellectual debate about the suicide rate within the Agriculture Industry
The CDC rescinded a recent report
Yet NFU provided additional context & content.
I know <4 farmers, my dataset is limited but they are hard working & decent Americans https://nfu.org/2018/11/27/cdc-study-clarifies-data-on-farm-stress/

A Deeper Look at the CDC Findings on Farm Suicides

By Matt Perdue, NFU Government Relations Representative Those of us who work with farmers on a daily basis know that mental and behavioral health is a major concern in farming communities. Over the…

https://nfu.org/2018/11/27/cdc-study-clarifies-data-on-farm-stress/

As it relates to farmers and chapter 12 -
You can run the reports, the data is there
https://www.uscourts.gov/statistics-reports/caseload-statistics-data-tables

https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-12-bankruptcy-basics

Or you can read the Farm bureau recent report
Farm Bankruptcies Rise Again https://www.fb.org/market-intel/farm-bankruptcies-rise-again

Farm Bankruptcies Rise Again

With record-high debt, and more farmers extending their repayment terms, it should come as no surprise that Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies continue to rise. Data from the U.S. Courts reveals that for...

https://www.uscourts.gov/statistics-reports/caseload-statistics-data-tables

FTR - when you see “financial insolvency” that’s a fancy way to say “bankruptcy”
Our farmers are facing a perfect storm;
-net revenues down
-inverted dent/income ratio
-tariffs
-climate change
-lack of stable leadership
-crops planted later
https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/95238/eib-211.pdf?v=8745.1

The most troubling part is the subset, dairy farmers. While production might be up, the net income is not (there are some mitigating & attributing factors) you drill down on this recent (Feb 2020) USDA report - the data supports the bankruptcy # s
https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/h989r321c/z603rf49q/b2774d05q/mkpr0220.pdf

Sorry I forgot to provide you with the SoyBean Association’s official press release (I was slightly distracted by my family losing their minds)
Again I’m mindful of disinformation on this platform & I endeavor to always give you original sourced documents https://soygrowers.com/news-releases/soybean-growers-unhappy-with-president-trumps-comments-on-keeping-tariffs-in-place-under-a-china-agreement/

Soybean Growers Unhappy with President Trump’s Comments on Keeping Tariffs in Place under a China...

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is not pleased with recent comments from President Trump that he could leave tariffs in place under an agreement

https://soygrowers.com/news-releases/soybean-growers-unhappy-with-president-trumps-comments-on-keeping-tariffs-in-place-under-a-china-agreement/

Here’s the AL FRED delinquency data I used in today’s video
Apologies for the delay
I genuinely believe that if an account puts forth data, they should be required to show you their data source.
After all disinformation is a weapon
https://alfred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=qttm #ALFRED @stlouisfed

Sorry I just released I neglected to provide you the FRSAB April 2018 letter to lawmakers re Farm Bill (which eventually passed) concerning the inadequate mental health services for farmers & impacts to cutting funding for rural hospitals
http://nfu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/FRSAN-Letter-Final.pdf

Apologies I’m exhausted & my bronchitis is not improving.
The letter is NOT from FRSAB, it’s from a large coalition of family farmers & organizations and it was about;
The new program

Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

https://www.agdaily.com/lifestyle/usda-farm-ranch-stress-assistance/ via @AGDAILYMedia

USDA launches Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network | AGDAILY

Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network is a program created to establish a network that assists farmers, ranchers, and others in times of stress.

https://www.agdaily.com/lifestyle/usda-farm-ranch-stress-assistance/

Unlike that monstrosity of Trump/McConnell/Mnuchin bailing out big corporations
At least the House Democrats added farms, farmers & rural farm loans & addresses the rural telecom issues facing students
https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/COVIDSUPP3_xml.pdf

The ZERO interest loans & principal loan forgiveness, wasn’t even in the Trump/McConnell/Mnuchin ProBig Company Bill
I am very glad to see the House Dems include these critical protections, specifically for family farms
See sometimes the universe hears you
https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/COVIDSUPP3_xml.pdf

I have nothing constructive to say or add.’
Last week in Florida alone 10M lbs of crops destroyed
There has to be a better way - like maybe work with food banks?
Farmers destroy crops grown for restaurants, hotels https://upi.com/6996318t via @upi

Farmers destroy crops grown for restaurants, hotels

U.S. farmers have destroyed millions of pounds of perishable food like tomatoes, lettuce and green beans because growers lost a vast number of customers after the coronavirus pandemic struck.

https://upi.com/6996318t

WHY
WHY
WHY
...why not donate to food-banks or chefs at @WCKitchen
I don’t understand dumping and wasting https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1247177275772207106?s=20

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1247177275772207106?s=20

I mean come on... https://twitter.com/File411/status/1241508398685978626?s=20

https://twitter.com/File411/status/1241508398685978626?s=20

Nothing.
I have nothing to add - beyond some of us were like - COVID-19 will be devastating to family farms.
On this topic I really wish I was wrong.
Our farmers are facing a perfect tsunami https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/11/us/farmworkers-coronavirus/index.html

The farmworkers putting food on America's tables are facing their own coronavirus crisis

Advocates warn that many farmworkers are living and working in conditions that put their health at risk. And if coronavirus outbreaks hammer farmworker communities, they say it could put the nation's...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/11/us/farmworkers-coronavirus/index.html

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