On the farm, land is everything. Best dirt in the world. Brian Sampson’s land has been in the family for generations. My great, great grandfather in 1870 homesteaded that farm, the same soil passed down with lessons. My dad passed it down to me, and he went through trials and hardships. Especially the 1980s when interest rates shot up triggering *** farm crisis. All of these farmers who had adjustable rate mortgages suddenly discovered that they might have *** mortgage rate that was as high as 24%. Brian was in his twenties, just starting out. My dad was in his early fifties. You know, he was, he was hammered hard. It hit him hard. He pushed on, but many others couldn’t make payments. We don’t know what to do next. I mean, we want to farm. We want to stay out there. As the crisis got worse, Family farms were foreclosed on, sold by the sheriff. Do I have any bids on this land at this time on the courthouse steps. Near white crosses representing every farm lost here in the state of Iowa, roughly 25% of families lost their farms, not just the land, the way of life. They’re losing something that means so much to them, something that completely defines them. Pressure mounted, and plenty of farmers couldn’t take it. The system. that he was *** failure. We know he wasn’t, but the system convinced him that he was to the point where he thought that the way out was to take his own life. Banks closed. It’s going to hurt the town and cries for help from Washington grew. We just cannot wait any longer for some help because if we lose this generation of farmers, we’ll never get farms back like we know them now. It was tough, but the Sampsons survived. Now when the next generation wants to come and do what you’re doing, oh my goodness, it’s being handed down to Brian’s son. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else, so it’s pretty cool, *** way of life more like *** business now. You pay attention more. You stay closer to the books, so to speak, but it comes with support. People now feel more comfortable with the idea of saying, I need help. Difficult lessons learned during the tough days of the 1980s on the farm. marking America 250. I’m Eric Hansen near Nevada, Iowa.
America 250: How rural Iowa families lost their land, way of life during 1980s farm crisis
As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re looking back on the farm crisis of the 1980s, which devastated rural America, forcing many families to lose their farms and altering the landscape of agriculture and food production.Brian Sampson, an Iowa farmer whose Story County land has been in his family for generations, reflected on its legacy. “My great-great-grandfather in 1870 homesteaded that farm,” Sampson said, pointing to land near his Roland farm. “My dad passed it down to me. And he went through trials and hardship.” The crisis was triggered by soaring interest rates, which left farmers with adjustable-rate mortgages struggling to keep up. “All of these farmers who had adjustable-rate mortgages suddenly discovered that they might have a mortgage rate that was as high as 24%,” said Pamela Riney-Kehrberg, an Iowa State University distinguished professor of history who authored a book titled, “When a Dream Dies: Agriculture, Iowa, and the Farm Crisis of the 1980s.” Sampson, in his 20s at the time, recalled the toll it took on his father. “My dad was in his early 50s. He was hammered hard. It hit him hard,” he said. Many farmers were unable to make payments, leading to foreclosures and auctions. In 1983 alone, there were about 500 farm auctions a month, according to the Associated Press.Loren Book, a farmer facing the loss of his land, said at the time, “We don’t know what to do next. We want to farm. We want to stay out there.” As the crisis worsened, family farms were sold by sheriffs on courthouse steps, often near white crosses symbolizing each farm lost. “Here in the state of Iowa, roughly 25% of families lost their farms,” Riney-Kehrberg said. The loss extended beyond land, deeply impacting farmers’ identities. “They’re losing something that means so much to them, something that completely defines them,” Riney-Kehrberg said. The pressure proved unbearable for some. “The system convinced him he was a failure. We know he wasn’t. But the system convinced him he was. To the point he thought the way out was to take his own life,” said one farmer at a Tama County farm sale in the 1980s. Banks closed, towns suffered, and farmers pleaded for help from Washington. “We just cannot wait any longer for some help,” one farmer said in the middle of the crisis. At a farm sale in Chariton at the time, a woman pointed to a child and said, “Because if we lose this generation of farmers, we’ll never get farms back like we know them now.” Despite the hardships, the Sampson family persevered. Brian Sampson now sees his son, Bryce, continuing the family tradition. “When the next generation wants to come and do what you’re doing, oh my goodness,” Sampson said. Bryce added, “I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. It’s pretty cool.” Farming today is more business-oriented, requiring close attention to finances. “You pay attention more. You stay closer to the books so to speak,” Sampson said. However, the lessons of the 1980s have brought a shift in attitudes. “People now feel more comfortable with the idea of saying, ‘I need help,'” Riney-Kehrberg said. The farm crisis of the 1980s left a lasting impact, reshaping rural America and the future of food production.
As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re looking back on the farm crisis of the 1980s, which devastated rural America, forcing many families to lose their farms and altering the landscape of agriculture and food production.
Brian Sampson, an Iowa farmer whose Story County land has been in his family for generations, reflected on its legacy.
“My great-great-grandfather in 1870 homesteaded that farm,” Sampson said, pointing to land near his Roland farm. “My dad passed it down to me. And he went through trials and hardship.”
The crisis was triggered by soaring interest rates, which left farmers with adjustable-rate mortgages struggling to keep up.
“All of these farmers who had adjustable-rate mortgages suddenly discovered that they might have a mortgage rate that was as high as 24%,” said Pamela Riney-Kehrberg, an Iowa State University distinguished professor of history who authored a book titled, “When a Dream Dies: Agriculture, Iowa, and the Farm Crisis of the 1980s.”
Sampson, in his 20s at the time, recalled the toll it took on his father.
“My dad was in his early 50s. He was hammered hard. It hit him hard,” he said.
Many farmers were unable to make payments, leading to foreclosures and auctions. In 1983 alone, there were about 500 farm auctions a month, according to the Associated Press.
Loren Book, a farmer facing the loss of his land, said at the time, “We don’t know what to do next. We want to farm. We want to stay out there.”
As the crisis worsened, family farms were sold by sheriffs on courthouse steps, often near white crosses symbolizing each farm lost. “Here in the state of Iowa, roughly 25% of families lost their farms,” Riney-Kehrberg said.
The loss extended beyond land, deeply impacting farmers’ identities. “They’re losing something that means so much to them, something that completely defines them,” Riney-Kehrberg said.
The pressure proved unbearable for some. “The system convinced him he was a failure. We know he wasn’t. But the system convinced him he was. To the point he thought the way out was to take his own life,” said one farmer at a Tama County farm sale in the 1980s.
Banks closed, towns suffered, and farmers pleaded for help from Washington. “We just cannot wait any longer for some help,” one farmer said in the middle of the crisis.
At a farm sale in Chariton at the time, a woman pointed to a child and said, “Because if we lose this generation of farmers, we’ll never get farms back like we know them now.”
Despite the hardships, the Sampson family persevered. Brian Sampson now sees his son, Bryce, continuing the family tradition. “When the next generation wants to come and do what you’re doing, oh my goodness,” Sampson said. Bryce added, “I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. It’s pretty cool.”
Farming today is more business-oriented, requiring close attention to finances. “You pay attention more. You stay closer to the books so to speak,” Sampson said.
However, the lessons of the 1980s have brought a shift in attitudes. “People now feel more comfortable with the idea of saying, ‘I need help,'” Riney-Kehrberg said.
The farm crisis of the 1980s left a lasting impact, reshaping rural America and the future of food production.
