Farming has never been an easy job. Add in the water concerns and issues with inflation, and for some farmers, the challenges are becoming insurmountable.
Despite that, Nancy Caywood, a third-generation farmer in Casa Grande, says she is staying optimistic.
“My grandad bought this farm back in 1930,” she explained, diving deeper into the vast history of her family’s farm.
ABC15 asked Caywood, “So this is really in your blood?”
She replied, “Absolutely.”
It’s that blood, sweat, and yes, even some tears, that have kept Caywood’s farm alive all these years.
“It’s grim. We look at it and we think, ‘What are we going to do?'” This is what Caywood told us during an interview in September 2021, explaining the issues she and other Arizona farmers were facing when it came to the drought and inflation.
“It was a really helpless feeling. And hopeless,” said Caywood. “Just to know my grandfather, my uncle, my dad, my cousin, my son… all the people that have been on this farm that are my heritage. You know, you just look at this and think I don’t want to lose this.”
Although she says the drought is still the biggest issue facing farmers, she says inflation isn’t making matters any easier.
Caywood says just about everything on the farm is getting more expensive… from hay to seeds, to pesticides and even fertilizer.
Fuel for her equipment is also pricier.
“Right now, we got tractors running and they burn diesel,” she said.
We checked with the USDA, and they said the average price in 2020 for diesel was $2.69 a gallon, compared to $4.50 for this year’s average.
Caywood says she has reason to be optimistic; this season’s rains have delivered a much-needed shot in the arm for farmers, helping them weather the storm of inflation by increasing the sizes of their harvest and the number of crops they’re able to sell.
Farmers are not out of the woods just yet, but for many, there is more reason to smile than there was before.
For more information on Caywood Farms, visit their website.