Inflation Causing Difficulties for Farmers & Ranchers as Cost Rise

FILE - In this June 10, 2020 file photo, cattle occupy a feedlot in Columbus, Neb. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

TULSA, Okla. –

Farmers and Ranchers everywhere have experienced tough times this year.

As of Sunday, Oklahoma is home to 86,000 farms, covering over 35,000,000 acres.

The men and women who help maintain these farms work extremely hard to keep them afloat.

John Steidley and his wife own a cow and calf operation and said all the parts needed to run it have gone up in price.

“Well, all of the equipment has gone up that I have to have. Hay and equipment and everything have gotten more expensive,” Steidley said.

Joy Steidley says raising cows is not an easy job because you must tend to the animals’ every need.

“The prices of the parts to repair the equipment and also if the cattle need medicine,” Steidley said.

She says even medications for their animals are costing more, whether they get them at a feed store or from the vet through a prescription.

Scott Swanson is the owner of Swanson AG Wraps, and he says the increase in costs has caused a lot of people to make tough decisions.

“Guys that could feed cattle for a dollar a day with everything whether it was the bags for the feed, whether it’s net and wrap on the hay, the twine on the hay, the bell film on the hay – everything’s went up,” Swanson said.

Swanson said this has impacted his business because inflation is hitting farmers and ranchers so hard.

“Interest rates are coming up, so they do want to spend a little money to beat that but at the same time they don’t know what to expect for next year they are nervous, and it’s put a lot of guys on edge,” Swanson said.

Many of the farmers and ranchers I spoke with say they are hoping things will get better in the new year.