Klodette Stroh

The outbreak of the coronavirus or COVID-19 took us all with a surprise and we were not prepared for this pandemic. Many businesses were forced to close their doors to stop the spread of COVID-19. People stayed home to be safe and worked from their home.

As a farmer, there is no way Rick and I could shut down our farm. Farming is a unique business and an underappreciated profession. Food producers in this country have been working to make sure America has a strong domestic supply of essential goods, such as meat, milk, corn and sugar, which has been taken for granted.

Food doesn’t come from the grocery store; without farmers, grocery store shelves would be empty. Far too many people are unaware of the role of American agriculture in their daily lives and what it really takes to ensure our grocery stores are full.

Few may realize that less than 1.5% of the U.S. population is engaged in agricultural productions. One American farmer supplies food and fiber for 140 people in the U.S. and abroad, illustrating the impact agriculture has on the national as well as the global economy. Locally, the economic impact of agriculture in Park County is over $100 million a year. We grow malt barley, dry edible beans and seed beans, oats, corn, sugar beets, a variety of grass seed and alfalfa hay for livestock. The majority of the county’s crop land is part of Shoshone Irrigation Project, authorized by the Congress as part of the Reclamation Act and built in the early 1900s. It was the largest federal project in the state of Wyoming.

Our local farmers hold quite impressive production numbers in the state. My beloved Park County ranks number one in production of sugar beets, barley and beans among 23 counties in Wyoming.  Wyoming farmers rank fourth place nationally for pinto bean production, seventh in barley and eighth in sugar beet production.

The value of the agriculture sector is estimated over $1.5 billion in Wyoming. Looking at our nation’s economy, farmers and ranchers contributed over $1.1 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic products in 2019 before the coronavirus entered our country; the coronavirus has been very hard on everyone, especially on businesses and our overall economy. Throughout America’s history, agriculture has generated strong and positive economic activities as well as provided jobs.

Our mother’s famous saying was “history is full of true stories.” She certainly was full of wisdom. Looking back through the pages of history such as the Great Depression, the outbreak of World War II in Europe and all the difficult times in our country, God has always blessed us with his farmers. 

We are truly living in a great country. I believe America has been blessed by our loving God. He guides and works in partnership with farmers to provide food, fiber, clothing and shelter for our people.

American farmers have proven their efficiency for our country. The farm family was the basic unit shaping life in America for over 200 years. Farmers are the backbone of this country and as American taxpayers, we have to protect our farming industry and we have to stand united as we advocate for farmers.

(Klodette Stroh is the national sugar chairman of the Women Involved in Farm Economics. She and her husband, Rick, farm in the Powell area.)