Nena Arias | July 30, 2018
The earth is our home and God has given us the earth to provide all of our needs to sustain life.
Genesis 1:28-30:
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Those who work the land and cause it to produce are known as farmers and they are vital to sustaining life for all of us. They should not be hindered in the production of food that is needed as they work the land, respecting the laws that God has established to properly care for the earth so it does not get depleted of its strength. But as we know, farming has been affected because of government policies of economics. So, President Trump has stepped forward to help get the farmers back on track.
It was announced Tuesday, July 24, 2018, that President Trump’s administration will provide $12 billion in temporary aid to agricultural producers who have been swept up in the trade war.
Farmers are facing a situation today equal to trying to live on the income we had 15 years ago. That’s how agriculture experts describe the difficult situation facing U.S. farmers today.
The erratic economy, combined with unpredictable weather and unsure access to health care in rural areas have all contributed to a serious impact on the people who grow our food in America. For a decade, farmers have seen their income dropping steadily, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This year, the average income for farmers is projected to be 35 percent below its level of ten years ago.
Today’s situation is looking much like the farm crisis of the 1980s, when many U.S. farmer’s income was hit significantly.
Back then the farm crisis was so bad, there were incidents of suicide and severe depression. Just imagine seeing all your hard work going down the drain due to government policies. Jennifer Fahy, communications director with Farm Aid, a group founded in 1985 that advocates for farmers said, she thinks today’s situation is actually worse.
The present rates of farmer’s suicide are not too clear. However, one thing is sure, suicide is much higher in rural areas than in urban areas, according to CDC studies. It is reported that between 1990 and 2016, farmer suicide increased, with the largest increases in Western states.
Farmers are losing money on every product that they sell. So how long can this be sustained? In the light of all these dilemmas we can truly understand the plight of farmers and why those who are not on God’s side can fall into despondency and lose hope, where many opt for suicide. We must come to their rescue.
