from the 6/27/19 edition of the N.I.C. weekly e-News You may have heard of the old saying…”knee high by 4th of July” used by farmers back in the day to measure the height of their corn … but stalks will unlikely be even ankle high this year across parts of Illinois and the Midwest. Many farmers ended up planting late or not at all following the extremely wet spring and continued rains.
Bishop Sally Dyck encourages churches this Sunday to pray for our farming communities. “We are mindful that this year’s crops are greatly affected by the devastating rains and many farmers are anxious about what the harvest season will bring,” said Bishop Dyck. “Let’s continue to keep our farmers and their families in our prayers.”
The State of Illinois has launched a comprehensive website, www.Illinois.gov/2019floods, dedicated to disaster recovery for those impacted by the spring floods including farmers. Resources include damage reporting tools, fraud alert information, and a free mental health helpline.
“As a lifelong farmer I know firsthand how stressful farm life can be in a normal year, but this year has been exceptionally hard on our farmers not only financially, but mentally,” said John Sullivan, Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture. “If you need help please reach out to someone. Know you are not alone in feeling the pressure to secure your crops.” Read more.