Nebraska Women in Agriculture Book Club

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program has announced “The Farmer’s Lawyer,” as the choice for their second quarter Book Club, which will conclude with a virtual discussion at 1 p.m. Central Time on June 16.  

“The Farmer’s Lawyer” is the unforgettable true story of a young lawyer’s impossible legal battle to stop the federal government from foreclosing on thousands of family farmers. 

In the early 1980s, farmers were suffering through the worst economic crisis to hit rural America since the Great Depression. Land prices were down, operating costs and interest rates were up, and severe weather devastated crops. Instead of receiving assistance from the government as they had in the 1930s, these hardworking family farmers were threatened with foreclosure. Desperate, they called Sarah Vogel in North Dakota. Sarah, a young lawyer and single mother, listened to farmers who were on the verge of losing everything and, inspired by the politicians who had helped farmers in the ’30s, she naively built a solo practice of clients who couldn’t afford to pay her.  

A courageous American story about justice and holding the powerful to account, “The Farmer ’s Lawyer” shows how the farm economy we all depend on for our daily bread almost fell apart due to the willful neglect of those charged to protect it, and what we can learn from Sarah’s battle as a similar calamity looms large on our horizon once again. 

The book club discussion will be led by Development Manager for the Center for Rural Affairs, Erin Schoenberg. The Center for Rural Affairs is a nonprofit organization that is unapologetically rural. The center stands up for family farmers and ranchers, new business owners, and rural communities. For more than 50 years, the center has been a leading force engaging people to build a welcoming, resilient and thriving rural future. Erin grew up on a farm and ranch in Rock County, Nebraska, a place she will always call home. Erin's work revolves around building relationships with people who share the Center's mission to build a vibrant rural future. She believes in the power of people coming together to bridge differences and create positive change. 

Registration is free and can be found on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website, or by clicking here. The first 25 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of the book mailed to them. All attendees are welcome regardless of race, gender, or any other protected status. For UNL’s notice of nondiscrimination, click here.