From Farm to Senate

One Essential Read

Recommended by Judith Langowski, Editor-in-Charge, Newsletters

As agriculture wilts under financial pressure, former Arkansas farmer cultivates U.S. Senate bid

The Shoffner family farm operated for over a century before the business' finances became unsustainable. Here, Shoffner stands near old equipment on the property in northeast Arkansas. REUTERS/P.J. Huffstutter

The Shoffner family farm operated for over a century before the business' finances became unsustainable. REUTERS/P.J. Huffstutter

Hallie Shoffner quit a career in non-profits to help her aging parents run the family farm in Arkansas. For more than a century, their land had endured droughts and floods, booms and busts. But last year, Shoffner came to a difficult conclusion: the business could no longer survive.

Now, the 39-year-old is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Senator Tom Cotton, in a state where no Democrat has won federal office or governorship since 2010.

But Shoffner believes the problems that hurt her farm and many more like it – Arkansas leads the country in family farm bankruptcies – can loosen the grip that Republicans forged across the farm belt. Agriculture reporter PJ Huffstutter spent three weeks with Shoffner and Arkansas voters to examine the problems at U.S. farms and their potential economic and political implications nationwide.

Read the full article

Behind the story

Over her trips to Arkansas for this story, Reporter PJ Huffstutter was struck by two things: "I saw how frustrated, scared and angry people are in rural parts of the state — and how hungry many of them seem to be for change."

"For a state that was once such a Democratic stronghold, it was fascinating to watch the past and present collide. Older voters still tell stories of when Bill Clinton ate so many tomatoes during a contest at the Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival that he made himself sick."

Social media reduces some of the urgency of that kind of on-the-ground campaign, political experts told Huffstutter. "What made following Shoffner so interesting, is that she is doing the old-school version: showing up and shaking hands, including in places that are staunchly Republican. I followed her to the Pink Tomato Festival, where she did get onstage and munch her way through a tomato-eating contest. Senator Tom Cotton wasn't there."

Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website

Reuters One Essential Read is sent three days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here.

Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here.

This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement.

Terms & Conditions