High cost and labor shortage hurting pumpkin farmers in Morton

Posted on September 12, 2022
Ackerman Family Farms, located in Morton, grows over 150 different pumpkins. (Photo courtesy: Ackerman Family Farms)

By Blake Haas

MORTON – In the pumpkin capital of the world, farmers are feeling the pinch of the high cost of fertilizer and a labor shortage.

John Ackerman, the owner of Ackerman Family Farms, reports that farmers are hurting, and it will only worsen.

“I’ve locked in some of those prices, but maybe I’m not as worried about making a profit this year, but I’m on the verge of terrified of next year. You know that lag time from when commodity prices drop to input prices drop, those years will catch you.”

Ackerman family farms grow over 150 varieties of pumpkins, diversifying their portfolio from corn and soybeans.

“We’re worried about that (high prices in 2023). But, again, maybe we shouldn’t be worried about everything; God will take care of you. It is one of the reasons we have diversified the farm,” Ackerman said on the afternoon show.

With the high prices, Ackerman said this is the first year his farm has advertised for help amidst a growing labor shortage.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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