In the more than 20 years John Delmotte has farmed in Monroe County, he's never felt so uncertain about what lies ahead for his business amid rising costs, low crop prices and tariff disruptions.
“I am probably as uneasy as I’ve ever been in my career,” said Delmotte, 38. “There’s just a sense of feeling unsure about things.”
Delmotte said he’s had to learn to better manage his 1,200-acre farm in Ida, where he grows corn, soybeans and wheat — following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a vegetable farmer.
“I think it does help us to stay sharp and to prioritize things,” he said. “You can prioritize, but it’s unnerving because you work all year long to grow a crop and store a crop, and then, obviously, deliver a crop. There’s nothing here that says that you’re going to make a