LOCAL HERO: Area farmer overcomes challenges of pandemic

LAFORGE, Mo. — Walking across the land near his home, Justin Ling doesn’t just see his cotton, soybeans and corn fields. He sees his family’s history — the land where his father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather farmed.

The fifth generation farmer knows that each of his ancestors faced challenges - floods, droughts, the Great Depression and wars. The pandemic of 2020 is Ling’s challenge.

In March when the nation began its battle with COVID-19, Ling said he and others farmers should have been working their fields. Social distancing would have been easy there.

However, that is when the rains came, halting fieldwork.

“With all the rains we had we were kind of cooped up here in the shop . . . doing maintenance and things like that,” Ling said. “It is hard to do social distancing especially when you are working on equipment. There are a lot of times when more than one set of hands is required for the types of maintenance we do to some of this heavier equipment.”

Some of the simplest tasks now take longer.

According to Ling, before when he or one of his employees would make a parts run, they would make multiple quick stops before returning to the shop. Now, to maintain social distancing, some of the small businesses limit the number of customers in the building.

“And if they have two in there and one or two in the parking lot, you are sitting there and waiting. It seems to be a little more time consuming,” Ling said

He pointed out farmers have long used personal protection gear. They wear masks when working inside grain bins to filter out dust and possible contamination from mold. Gloves are routine when handling chemicals.

By late spring, those masks and gloves were in short supply. Ling discovered another surprise as the equipment began to return to the shelves.

“Normally that box of masks was less than $5 for 20. Now masks are selling for $15 for 10,” he said. “The price has been driven up but we have to have them for safety.”

The lower fuel prices experienced across the United States has helped, according to the farmer. However, the grain markets typically follow the gasoline market, he said.

“We were already in a low market year and then it went down even further,” said Ling, who farms approximately 4,000 acres of corn, soybeans and cotton. “It got down to $8 (a bushel) for soybeans and I think at one point below $3 (a bushel) on corn. It is hard to make a profit at those prices.”

To deal with the declining markets Ling adjusted his marketing strategy.

“We’re marketing the crop a whole lot later in the year than we normally do. Normally later than I typically feel comfortable with. Luckily right here in the last couple of weeks we have seen some better prices,” he said.

Because farmers are considered essential workers they also received assistance from the federal government. Ling received a check through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

“It has helped. Anything is a help especially with times we have had and the times we are facing,” said Ling.

The farmer added Americans should be better informed about the foods they choose in the supermarkets. He said consumers are often swayed by “buzzwords” such as gluten-free, organic and non-genetically modified. Ling said he has even seen the words gluten-free displayed on products which wouldn’t have wheat in them anyway.

“People are misinformed that GMOs are going to kill them when they are not. GMO is a tool we have in our arsenal that helps us to better feed the world,” he added.

Ling paused as he watch his son, Edwin, slide out from under a cotton picker he was repairing. Edwin will be the sixth generation of the family to farm, Ling said.

In addition to Edwin, Ling and his wife, Tonya, are the parents of three other children, Heather, Hillary and Caitlyn and have five grandchildren. Edwin and Caitlyn are students at New Madrid County Central High School where both are active in Future Farmers of America.

While the pandemic has brought its challenges, it has also brought some valuable lessons. Ling said he has learned to practice patience and to always be cautious.

“We have learned a lot about the way virus and germs spread. We are just really hopeful for either a curative or preventive medicine for it,” Ling said.

He added with a laugh: “And with raising children, I have even greater respect for teachers but I think everybody has got that now.”