Drought has always been part of my life, both personally and professionally.
I’ve lost track of the many times I’ve seen it ravage crops and pasture, stress agricultural communities and devastate farm and ranch families.
Drought is hammering much of the Upper Midwest; many crops are damaged, in some cases badly or even fatally.
For some younger agriculturalists, however, this drought is their first, or at least their first big one.
A long wet spell in parts of the Upper Midwest spared them from personal, first-hand exposure to drought.
Older farmers and ranchers — who enjoyed good years in the past — may have built up a little cushion.
As for being fair or unfair, well, it’s just the way Upper Midwest ag is.
But I will remind them of two things they know already, things I’ve heard time after time during decades of covering drought: Pride and self-reliance are good and necessary, though only to a point.
Don’t let them stop you from talking with lenders about the financial difficulties.
So do area farmers and ranchers hit by drought this summer.