John Hickenlooper

Sen. Hickenlooper listens and talks agriculture with local growers.

By PRISCILLA WAGGONER

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ALAMOSA — “I want to hear your stories. People’s stories can change how a senator votes.”

Those were some of Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper’s first words when he began a dialogue with a group of farmers and ranchers from the San Luis Valley at the Rio Grande Water Conservation District.

The event, held on Thursday, was the last in a three-stop itinerary. Hickenlooper’s day began in Buena Vista with a conversation about public lands, continued to Saguache where he spoke with locals about affordable housing and ended with the dialogue in Alamosa.

In many ways, the most challenging topic had been saved for last. But by the end of the meeting, stories also emphasized practices in forecast-ability, adaptability and profitability that have emerged as tools to navigate in a very difficult time.

In some cases, the stories that producers shared reflected the harsh reality of an ag industry getting hit on all sides at the same time, largely by factors outside of producers’ control.

Increasing water scarcity. Inflation, the cost of diesel and fertilizer and other soaring input costs caused by wars on the other side of the globe. Unpredictable markets with a decline in what profits can be made. Tariffs, persistent drought that’s drawing the lifeblood out of agriculture and sweeping budget cuts in areas that can least afford them.

“The cuts are staggering,” Hickenlooper said, “and they’re coming in a time of dire need.”

Patrick O’Neill, a soil health expert who works with the Mosca-Hooper Conservation District, shared that he grew up in “the valley” in California where overdrawing on available water ended in creating a place where “the winds just blow and blow” dirt around.

“That was a calamity,” O’Neill said. “The Valley may be facing something similar in the future. I’d like to see us handle this with grace.”

He then spoke about a new program titled “Food is Medicine”. O’Neill, a strong advocate, said the food is locally grown with value added, which helps farmers with getting a price that’s better than what large buyers may be offering. And given the emphasis on healthy food, O’Neill reports that hospitals are now coming together to work with local growers in providing healthy food that supports the local economy.

Grant funding would really help their efforts, O’Neill said, but Hickenlooper essentially shot him down. “Your best option is to go to foundations - we have a thousand billionaires. There should be money coming from them. They’re more reliable than the government that isn’t reliable at all anymore.”

James Henderson, a cattle rancher whose family farm dates back to 1882, said grazing permits are being cut back, which limits his access to enough public land to feed his cattle when his own property can’t meet the need.

“I only had enough water to irrigate 40 acres out of the 1600 acres on my ranch,” Henderson said. “And our water rights date back to 1973.” When Hickenlooper asked him about the cost and availability of hay, Henderson said, “My herd will be the size of how much hay I can grow.” He went on to say that he’s worried about the future of his ranch and how it will impact his children’s future.

“But we’ve had some good bills,” he said. “If a rancher sells the entirety of his herd because of drought, he can defer paying tax on that money until the next year. That helps.”

As Tara Artho, executive director at the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee observed, “Even when things look pretty bad, farmers and ranchers are still some of the most optimistic people around. That’s one reason why I love my job so much.”

Heather Dutton started by saying, “Water is bi-partisan.” She then went on to tell Hickenlooper that declining levels in the aquifer is leading to problems with water quality.

“But it’s also about balancing priorities.” She went on to state the case for complete funding for two SNOTELs to get an accurate gauge of current snowpack, emphasizing the importance of truly accurate forecasting.

“The subdistricts are willing to pay to install two new SNOTELs if NCRS (National Conservation Resource Services) will install and operate,” she said. “But with all the personnel who have been cut…”

She then described her personal start-up called the “Rye Resurgence Project” that she operates with Sarah Jones. Rye only needs 12” of water to grow, she said. “Our motto is ‘keep farmers farming.’” After several years of effort, it’s finally gaining ground with the creation of rye whiskey and, in a new development, rye beer. “But farmers can’t grow things they can’t sell.”

“Potato consumption is up 20% but farmers have to get paid,” she said, adding, “Safety nets (a market for potatoes) are based on numbers from 2017 and 2018. And twenty per cent of potatoes in the Valley went to Mexico. Then the tariffs hit…

“A Farm Bill is absolutely necessary,” she said.

Sheldon Rockey, one of the leading producers in potatoes, shared that he’s opening processing plants for a number of different crops. “We’re building infrastructure,” he said. “Rye, mullet, buckwheat, beans, quinoa. But there has to be infrastructure and marketing.”

He then shared the story that his family grew fresh peas for years and stored them on ice to take to market. But when the market changed, the family never adapted.

Hickenlooper’s shared his thoughts, starting with legislation. “We must get a farm bill. Putting the farm bill in a reconciliation is insane,” he said. “We haven’t had any stable footing for ag in a decade. Safety nets being offered are passed on 2017 and 2018. Potato consumption is up 40% but a farmer has to get paid. A farm bill is absolutely necessary.”

He went on to discuss the president. “Donald Trump spends more time with bankers, and they have more interest in large operations,” adding that large operations are unable to respond quickly to big changes in markets.

“Most Democrats believe in smaller farms, family farms,” he said. “Big companies are more vulnerable to disaster, and we can’t put cost on cost.” Hickenlooper then suggested attaching the Farm Bill to a bill that will pass.

“If agriculture isn’t handled differently than it is now,” he concluded, “a hundred percent of farmers will be democrats ten years from now.”