The Digital Journalist
© John Ficara
Dooly County, Georgia -- Carl Whitehead shows strain and frustration as the window of opportunity to plant his seeds has come and gone. Having submitted his application for an operational loan, on time and as required before the planting season, he can only wait, even though other farmers who requested the same loans at the same time have already received their money, purchased and planted their seeds weeks ago. A fourth-generation farmer, Whitehead grew up working on his grandfather's farm and eventually took it over. He filed for bankruptcy in 1998 and will be the last generation in his family to farm.