Javascript is required to use this website.

Rural sociologist sees lasting impacts of 1980s farm crisis

From the Q&As with influential people in agriculture. series

Gene Lucht
Aug 2, 2021
Aug 2, 2021 Updated Aug 5, 2021

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Paul Lasley retired June 30 as a professor and Extension sociologist at Iowa State University.

kAm{2D=6J[ eh[ 8C6H FA @? 2 72C> ?62C "F66? r:EJ[ |:DD@FC:[ 2?5 42>6 E@ x$& :? `hg` 27E6C C646:G:?8 9:D F?56C8C25F2E6 2?5 8C25F2E6 568C66D 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC:] {2D=6J 492:C65 3@E9 E96 D@4:@=@8J 2?5 2?E9C@A@=@8J 56A2CE>6?ED 2E x$&[ 2?5 :D H:56=J <?@H? 7@C 96=A:?8 E@ 56G6=@A E96 x@H2 u2C> 2?5 #FC2= {:76 !@== :? `hga]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m w@H 5:5 49@@D6 J@FC 42C66C A2E9nk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m x H2D?’E 6?E:C6=J DFC6 H92E x H2?E65 E@ 5@[ 3FE H96? x H2D :? D49@@=[ x 7@F?5 4@FCD6D @? D@4:@=@8J G6CJ :?E6C6DE:?8] |J 32496=@C’D 568C66 :D :? 2?:>2= 9FD32?5CJ[ 3FE 3642FD6 @7 >J :?E6C6DE :? D@4:@=@8J[ 2 4@FA=6 AC@76DD@CD E9@F89E E96J ?66565 E@ 86E >6 :?E@ 8C25 D49@@=]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m *@F DE2CE65 H@C<:?8 2E x$& :? `hg`] s6D4C:36 E92E 6IA6C:6?46]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m x H2D G6CJ 7@CEF?2E6 E@ 4@>6 :?E@ 2 8@@5 56A2CE>6?E H:E9 2 =@E @7 DFAA@CE[ 2?5 2 56A2CE>6?E E92E 925 2 C62= 4@?46C? 7@C E96 H6==\36:?8 @7 CFC2= p>6C:42]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m }@E =@?8 27E6C J@F DE2CE65 2E x$&[ E96 72C> 4C:D:D @7 E96 >:5\`hg_D 32C65 :ED E66E9] xE 925 E@ 36 @G6CH96=>:?8 7@C J@F 2?5 J@FC 4@==628F6D] w@H C@F89 H2D :E 7@C ?@E @?=J CFC2= p>6C:42[ 3FE E9@D6 H9@ H6C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 96=A 72C>6CD E9C@F89 :Enk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m xE H2D E96 H@CDE 7:?2?4:2= 4C:D:D D:?46 E96 vC62E s6AC6DD:@?] (6 H6C6 5@:?8 @FC 36DE E@ AC@G:56 :?7@C>2E:@? E@ E96 G2C:@FD 6?E:E:6D[ E@ =6E A6@A=6 @FED:56 @7 E96 CFC2= 4@>>F?:EJ <?@H H92E H2D 92AA6?:?8] (6 H6C6 23=6 E@ 5@4F>6?E E96 6IE6?E @7 E96 7:?2?4:2= 92C5D9:A E96D6 A6@A=6 H6C6 8@:?8 E9C@F89[ 2?5 9@A67F==J H6 H6C6 23=6 E@ :?7@C> 7@=<D 23@FE E96 A=:89E @7 CFC2= p>6C:42]k^Am

kAm(6 H6C6 4C:E:4:K65 2E E:>6D 3J A6@A=6 H9@ 76=E H6 H6C6 6I2886C2E:?8 E96 :>A24E @7 E9:D 4C:D:D[ 6G6? E9@F89 H6 925 E96 52E2 E@ AC@G6 :ED D6C:@FD?6DD] %96J D2:5 H6 H6C6 7@DE6C:?8 E96 4C:D:D[ 3FE E96J H6C6?’E D66:?8 E96 C2>:7:42E:@?D @7 H92E H2D 92AA6?:?8] x? E96 62C=J J62CD[ E96 G:4E:>D H6C6?’E 2D G:D:3=6[ 3FE 6G6?EF2==J A6@A=6 F?56CDE@@5 E96 =2C86C :DDF6]k^Am

kAm(6 2=D@ 925 >@C6 72C> <:5D 9625:?8 E@ 4@==686 3642FD6 E96J H6C6 E@=5 E96C6 H6C6 ?@ @AA@CEF?:E:6D @? E96 72C>] %92E 925 2 9F86 :>A24E @? 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m xE’D 366? ?62C=J c_ J62CD D:?46 E96 72C> 4C:D:D] xD :ED :>A24E DE:== 36:?8 76=E E@52Jnk^Am

People are also reading…

Gypsy Vanners: Beautiful horses with an abundance of hair and the look of a draft
South Dakota's three largest dairy processors are growing, and so are their plans
Cattle grazing can be invasive grass management tool
Pros and cons of popular conservation practices
Spring wheat market experiencing pressure
Sharing lessons from our farm
Argentine genetics heading to Canada, while celebrating with beef in America
Father-daughter duo turns milkweed into multi-faceted enterprise
Historic Brown Farm adds space, volunteers
New truck leads to life of love
Start scouting for soybean disease lookalikes
Our freedoms are worth celebrating
South Dakota corn mazes embrace America’s 250th birthday
Grief brings quiet aftershocks years later

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m xE 23D@=FE6=J 492?865 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 CFC2= =:76[ 2?5 :E 2=D@ D9@H65 E96 723C:4 @7 CFC2= p>6C:42] rC:D:D E6?5D E@ 3C:?8 @FE E96 36DE :? A6@A=6[ 2?5 H6 D2H 9@H 6G6CJ@?6 AF==65 E@86E96C[ ;FDE =:<6 E96J 5@ H:E9 7=@@5D[ E@C?25@6D 2?5 @E96C ?2EFC2= 5:D2DE6CD]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m $A62<:?8 @7 5:D2DE6C[ E9C@F89@FE >F49 @7 J@FC 42C66C J@F H@C<65 H:E9 A6@A=6 H9@ H6C6 2E A6C92AD E96 =@H6DE A@:?E @7 E96:C =:G6D] w@H 5:5 J@F 4@A6 H:E9 E92Enk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m x C6=:65 962G:=J @? >J 72:E9[ 2?5 x’G6 2=H2JD EC:65 E@ =@@< 7@C E96 8@@5?6DD :? A6@A=6] x 2=H2JD H2?E E@ 8:G6 A6@A=6 E96 36?67:E @7 E96 5@F3E 2?5 9@A6 E92E x 4@F=5 96=A E96>]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m p8C:4F=EFC6 92D 492?865 5C2>2E:42==J @G6C E96 A2DE c_ J62CD[ 2D 92D CFC2= p>6C:42] (92E 2C6 D@>6 @7 E96 3:886DE 492?86Dnk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m %96 3:886DE 492?86 4@F=5 36 E96 D>2==6C ?F>36C @7 72C>6CD] x H@F=5 =@G6 E@ D66 a__[___ 72C>D :? x@H2[ 3FE E@ DFAA@CE E92E ?F>36C[ J@F 92G6 E@ 36 23=6 E@ >2<6 2 AC@7:E 2?5 92G6 2 5646?E BF2=:EJ @7 =:76]k^Am

kAm~G6C E96 =2DE c_ J62CD[ H6 92G6 2=D@ D66? >@C6 DA64:2=:K2E:@? 2?5 2 492?86 :? @FC 72C> :?7C2DECF4EFC6] t4@?@>:4 7@C46D 92G6 @G6CH96=>65 2 =2C86 ?F>36C @7 72>:=J 72C>D]k^Am

kAm$A64:2=:K2E:@? :D 2 3:8 EC2?D7@C>2E:@?] u@CEJ J62CD 28@[ H6 925 2 =@E @7 5:G6CD:7:65 72C>D[ H96C6 72C>6CD 8C6H 4C@AD 2?5 C2:D65 =:G6DE@4<] (6 5@?’E D66 2D >F49 @7 E92E] pE E:>6D x E9:?< H6 92G6 AFD965 DA64:2=:K2E:@? E@@ 72C] x H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D66 E92E A6?5F=F> DH:?8 324< D@>6 E:>6]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m s:5 J@F 6?;@J H@C<:?8 H:E9 tIE6?D:@?nk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m tIE6?D:@? :D 2== 23@FE E6249:?8[ 2?5 x =@G65 E92E A2CE @7 E96 ;@3] x 2=D@ =@G65 36:?8 2 AC@76DD@C 2?5 36:?8 23=6 E@ H@C< H:E9 DEF56?ED] x 92G6 366? 3=6DD65 E@ H@C< H:E9 D@>6 8C62E A6@A=6[ 2?5 x 92G6 =62C?65 7C@> 6249 2?5 6G6CJ @?6 @7 E96>] x 92G6 2=H2JD 7@F?5 E96 H:D5@> @FE E96C6 :? CFC2= p>6C:42 E@ 36 G6CJ :?G:8@C2E:?8]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mxu%ik^DEC@?8m pD J@F C67=64E @? J@FC 42C66C[ H92E DEC:<6D J@F 2D 36:?8 6DA64:2==J >62?:?87F=nk^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{p${t*ik^DEC@?8m x H2D C2:D65 :? 2 ;F?<J2C5 367@C6 H6 DE2CE65 72C>:?8[ 2=E9@F89 >J 8C2?5A2C6?ED 72C>65] x? >J H:=56DE 5C62>D[ x ?6G6C 6?G:D:@?65 DA6?5:?8 c_ J62CD :? 2 42C66C H:E9 E96 =6G6= @7 D2E:D724E:@? x 92G6]k^Am

kAmx’G6 2=H2JD 76=E x H2D :? E96 C:89E A=246 2E E96 C:89E E:>6 H96? x H6?E E@ x@H2 $E2E6] x H2D 4@>7@CE23=6 E96C6[ 2?5 J@F 3=@@> H96C6 J@F 2C6 A=2?E65] x H2D 3=6DD65 E@ H@C< 4@==628F6D H9@ H6C6 G6CJ DFAA@CE:G6 @7 H92E x H2D 5@:?8[ 2?5 @G6C2== :E H2D 2 8@@5 7:E 7@C >6] x ?6G6C 925 2?J C62D@? E@ =62G6]k^Am

In this Series

Q&As with influential people in agriculture.

Dec 30, 2023
Consultant: Expect ‘range-bound’ trade to continue in 2024
Dec 23, 2023
Priest reflects on meaning of Christmas in rural communities
Dec 16, 2023
Farm and football promotion began with Hayden Fry
158 updates

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Gene Lucht

Author email

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits:

Rural sociologist sees lasting impacts of 1980s farm crisis

From the Q&As with influential people in agriculture. series

In this Series

Q&As with influential people in agriculture.

Consultant: Expect ‘range-bound’ trade to continue in 2024

Priest reflects on meaning of Christmas in rural communities

Farm and football promotion began with Hayden Fry

Gene Lucht

Marketplace

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these exclusive benefits:

People are also reading…

In this Series

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Followed notifications

Please log in to use this feature

Related to this story

Most Popular

Find the equipment you're looking for

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits: