When I worked at Northeastern Junior College, I had the benefit of being covered by a comprehensive health care plan along with other State of Colorado employees. For the years I have been employed solely at the ranch, though, I haven’t been able to afford health insurance. Even though ranching and farming are some of the most dangerous occupations because of the nature of our work, many of us can’t afford health insurance and live day-to-day with the fear that one misstep might lead us into bankruptcy.

As many of you already know, my wife Sarah and I had our little boy Trevor on March 17th. While he was healthy, he surprised us by coming seven weeks early. As a pre-term baby, he had to stay in the NICU for four weeks before he was able to come home. The care he received at the Yampa Valley Medical Center was first-rate, and we are one of the rare rural communities that has access to such world-class facilities and staff. But we are not alone, rural residents or not, in that we have accumulated bills with our recent hospital stay that would put us in bankruptcy if it weren’t for the health insurance provided to us by Sarah’s employer.

Do today’s young families have a right to health insurance, whether they can afford it or not? Do we need to change the way we approach health care as a country, or are we happy with the status quo?

As I see our health care bills exceed $100,000, I’m truly thankful that we have the insurance we need to cover our expenses. Isn’t it only fair that all responsible, hard-working people should have that same right?

If I had offered some words to describe my first year, they might have included “learning,” “excited,” and “sometimes overwhelmed.” I am happy to report that I would still use the word “learning,” and still use the word “excited,” but I would more likely replace “overwhelmed” with “more comfortable.” We have a complex organization, and we’re a changing, living entity. “Learning” and “excited” always describe how it feels to work with RMFU.

This year, we have a number of board seats up for re-election, as well as the Vice President’s position. As I understand it, two of the three open director’s positions have incumbents running unopposed. At this time, I am running unopposed as well. Is this what our members want, or would you like to see a little competition for these seats come November?

I truly enjoy being on the Board of RMFU and its related entities. The other directors are passionate about our organization, have incredible knowledge about agriculture and Farmers Union, and have your best interests at heart. But does that mean that any or all of us should be handed our seats because no one will run against us?

What if I get ill and cannot continue to work? What if a natural disaster ruins my land so that I cannot continue production? How do I pass along my farm or ranch to the next generation without losing it to taxes, assuming there is even someone who wants this potential headache?

One of the most eminent threats in the mountain portion of our three states is development. The development of homes, businesses, and resorts is driving up the costs of land so high that agricultural production can never pay the cost of investing in land.
This keeps new people from buying farms and ranches and keeps farmers and ranchers from expanding. In Routt County alone, some property owners have seen their property valuations increase as much as 85% in the past year.