HAMILTON, Mo. — Farmers just want to farm.
"We very much believe in that we feed the soil, to feed the plants, to feed the animal, to feed people," Sean Cornelius, a Caldwell County, Missouri, dairy farmer, said.
He's a third-generation dairy farmer, running a barn and parlor located at the site where his grandfather was born.
"We have a good family history here of being dairy farmers," Cornelius said.
Farming operations across the country are threatened each day by fluctuating markets, high input costs, and diminishing farm income.
The USDA's September farm income forecast, a key projection of farm profitability, projects $140 billion for 2024, which is a $6.5 billion decline from 2023.
"Feed costs are about 60% of our cost of production for making milk," Cornelius said. "Anything that it goes to changing the cost to grow that crop, be it land prices, be it fertilizer prices, fuel costs, labor costs, same problems all other small businesses have, we see right here on the dairy farm as well.”
Those factors play into the operation's profitability.
Cornelius Farms sells its cows' milk directly to Hiland Dairy in Kansas City.
Another lesser thought of cost is health insurance.
"if you’re self-employed or work a part-time job, or you’re doing something that you don’t have work available health insurance, then you gotta go to the marketplace," he added.
Each year, Cornelius searches for medical insurance plans for him and his wife.
The two navigate limited options that are available to their needs in Caldwell County, Missouri.
"When I sat down to look at my options, I found plans ranging from $1,700 a month, up to $3,400 a month. That’s entirely my contribution," Cornelius told KSHB 41. "...that’s almost $20,000 a year... That plan had almost a $10,000 per person deductible. Maximum out-of-pocket of $18,000.”
According to Cornelius, the options available to him must coordinate with St. Luke's Health System or not at all.
He said his plans are not always competitive on the market because his options are limited.
Each year, Cornelius submits his taxable income to his accountant to project the next year's profit. If his operation's projected profit hits below a certain mark he can qualify for a subsidized plan that helps lower his healthcare costs.
"As I put my taxes in for 2024, I've got a higher level of income than I had for 2023," he said. "Milk prices were really good in 2024, so that kind of helped the income out. It was a pleasant surprise until the tax person looked at those numbers and was like, ouch."
Cornelius is advocating for Missouri House Bill 366, a piece of legislation that would allow the Missouri Farm Bureau to offer health care plans to its members.
“7.5% of Missourians are without health coverage. That is the issue that affects many of Missouri’s farm and ranch families who are self-employed," Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins said. "Those who don’t qualify for subsidized plans in the Affordable Care Act marketplace, that go to the marketplace that find the coverage to be unaffordable.”
In 2019, KSHB 41 reported on the Kansas Legislature passing similar legislation to permit organizations like the Missouri Farm Bureau to offer health care.
"Kansas has seen great success," Hawkins told KSHB 41. "Our Farm Bureau members are asking their organization to be able to offer this product, that they not only want but are demanding from us... it won’t cost the state government a dime. Because we will use our own money as a Farm Bureau to stand up and be able to offer these plans to our members, which our own members will use their own money to cover the premiums on a monthly basis."
Cornelius told KSHB 41 that a persistent medical emergency with his current plans and their price could put their farm in peril.
“Early in my career I had no idea that I needed to be an expert on health care," he added. “We’re limited, we’re stuck with what we have. All we’re asking for is another option.”
Missouri HB 366 is awaiting referral to the House floor for debate.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
