The weather is a deciding factor in determining whether a farming operation will have success or failure. Failed crops not only affect the farmer, but also the person in agricultural business, such as a grain company owner, and ultimately every individual who shops at the grocery store.
VIDEO: Delanie Howell, runs 4:44 min.

In a Battle Against the Weather, Agriculture Rarely Wins
By: Delanie Howell

Have you ever stopped to think about the role that agriculture plays in your life? Unless you’re directly involved with a farming operation or know someone who is, the answer is likely no. The truth is, in recent years and this year especially, farming has become more of a stressor than ever before for those involved. The reason is the unpredictability of the weather and the huge effects it can have on farmers and their families.

According to Michael Cassidy, owner of Cassidy Grain Company in Frederick, Oklahoma, this year’s drought was tragic for farms and businesses that operate within the agriculture industry like his grain elevator. “Right here in this area was probably the epicenter of the drought and the extreme heat. It’s, I believe, the worst in recorded history and we were in exceptional, the highest rating of drought conditions.”

Exceptional refers to the highest of the five levels of intensity used by the U.S. Drought Monitor in describing drought conditions. Those levels range from D0 up to D4. Currently, Tillman County remains in a level D3 drought, which is the fourth highest rating, meaning extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor South climate map.

When weather like this sticks around for an extended period of time, the results can be disastrous. James Heap, a farmer in Tillman County, explained, “We went approximately a full year with only three inches of rain… The last rain we received was when we were sowing wheat for the 2011 crop. That crop, zero acres harvested. I also grow hay products, alfalfa, millet, Sudan hays, harvested zero bales of hay this year. I grow cotton, harvested zero bales of cotton.”

The problem with failed crops is that the effects reach far beyond just the farmer and the grain elevator owner. Those wheat crops produce several things we buy in the grocery store. Those hay crops feed cattle that may someday be in the grocery store as well. Those cotton crops are used to make clothes that many people can use to protect themselves from the harsh weather that so often threatens the crops themselves. The weather affects everyone, but so does agriculture.

One Family’s Efforts to Memorialize Son Through Programs That Will Save Lives of Others
By: Delanie Howell

One of those benchmark times in life that we look forward to is turning 16 and being able to drive ourselves around. In order to get a driver’s license to do so, however, we must take driver’s education to become eligible to take the driving test. While kids may think driver’s education is pointless and boring, parents take comfort in knowing their child will be well prepared to get on the road. Why isn’t the same comfort afforded to parents when their child’s vehicle of choice is a motorcycle? In Oklahoma, the only requirement for obtaining a motorcycle license is the driving test itself. The lack of a required safety course in combination with a limited helmet law and motorcycles that have no governor for speed became a parent’s worst nightmare for Leon and Teresa Fanning when their son Austin had a fatal accident on a motorcycle he had owned for only two days.

A collection of Austin's things that his parents have on display in their home: photos, his wrestling uniform, a baseball cap, his funeral program, his obituary, and some poems. PHOTO: Delanie Howell

“I still have the last text he sent me. He said ‘Hey, I got the bike.’ I just don’t have the heart to erase it,” Mr. Fanning said.

Although they’re still hurting, Austin’s parents aren’t just going to sit back and let this sort of thing continue to happen. They are working on developing a program and figuring out how to lobby the government to tighten motorcycle laws in Oklahoma. Mrs. Fanning, Austin’s mother, explained, “Most cars, from what I understand, have a governor on them to where they can’t go over 98 to 99 miles per hour. Cars are a lot safer than motorcycles. This particular motorcycle that he was riding, from the factory, 160 miles an hour. That’s without any enhancements.” Also, according to BikerEzine.com, there is a limited helmet law in Oklahoma, which means that after the age of 18, a rider is not required to wear a helmet as long as he or she wears some sort of eye protection. Sunglasses count in this case.

There are motorcycle safety courses available in the state of Oklahoma, but most are fairly expensive in today’s economy, at $150 per rider. The Fannings are hoping to create a fund in Austin’s name that will allow riders who wish to take the course to take it for free in an effort to get more riders educated about the dangers of driving a motorcycle irresponsibly. Mr. Fanning showed great concern about this issue. “That’s all I want. That’s what we’re trying to get, the financial backing in a trust fund. If we can come up with some kind of trust fund or grant process, where we had the funds set up where kids can actually take the course for free, paid for by this fund.” They have come up with a pretty creative way for raising the money to start such a fund. Mr. and Mrs. Fanning are collecting - and asking everyone they know to collect as well - the aluminum tabs from the tops of beverage cans for recycling.

A bumper sticker that was made to keep Austin's memory alive. PHOTO: Delanie Howell

“If we can stop one kid from getting killed on this deal, if we can save one kid’s life, if we can save one parent from going through what we’ve been through, then every penny out of our pocket, every ounce of energy that we spend on this, is going to be well worth it,” said Mr. Fanning. His wife, echoing that sentiment and understanding they have a long road ahead of them, said, “This is just the beginning, we’re still trying to figure things out, but we’re hoping to make an impact, a big one.”