( CNN ) -- The drought of 2012 will be one that farmers and ranchers remember for years to come . My husband , Kevin , and I are fifth-generation farmers . This is the first drought we have experienced since we were married and started farming together in 1995 . Our farm , like most other U.S. farms , is really suffering right now and in desperate need of rain . The media have pegged it right : it definitely is the worst drought of our generation . Kevin and I own and raise hogs , cattle , corn , soybeans and alfalfa hay on our farm . Typically , we do n't have a lot of crops to farm , but this year we decided to rent an extra 200 acres for that purpose , doubling our row-crop acreage . We were able to purchase crop insurance for most of our crops , but unfortunately that alone will not help make our farm or equipment payments to the bank since most of our crops are ruined . Our crop failure is n't what keeps me awake at night these days ; it 's worrying about our animals . No crops means no feed for livestock . We ca n't stop feeding cattle and hogs . We own 60 head of cattle , and our family has 1,500 sows on our farm . Bountiful crops are needed for an adequate feed supply , but so too are healthy pastures for cattle grazing . Both need rain . Hogs eat mostly corn and soybeans because they are not ruminant animals , which means they do not have four stomach chambers like cattle , which can digest hay and grass . The price to purchase corn and soybeans is skyrocketing because of crop losses across most of the United States . Unlike crop farmers , livestock farmers and ranchers do not have insurance programs to ease the losses during disaster years . When our feed costs get out of control , or when a disease devastates our herd , there is no relief from insurance . This is a total loss for farmers and ranchers . To pay the bills , we have to go to the bank and borrow more money to help us survive the storm . This means yet another loan payment . When my expenses increase on our farm , it would be nice to tell the packer who buys my hogs that I need to be paid more so I can make ends meet . But it does n't work that way . Hogs feel drought 's pinch . We are price takers ; supply and demand drive the price we are paid for hogs . Even though my feed bills are increasing at alarming rates , right now it does n't mean that pork demand has increased in line with my expenses . Farmers have to wait for an increase in demand , or decrease in supply , to see their prices increase . I have been asked before why I just do n't hold on to our hogs and wait for someone to pay me what I need to pay my feed bills . This is because packers only accept a certain weight so they can meet consumer demand . Consumers want a consistent size piece of pork -- not too big or too small -- and they want their chops to look the same each time they go to the store . To meet this demand , farmers ca n't sell hogs that are overweight or underweight . The pain of this drought does n't stop with farmers and ranchers . Everyone has a vested interest in how Mother Nature is behaving . Food availability will be affected because farmers will be producing less food . In the end , this will lead to increased food prices . A number of livestock farmers and ranchers will be faced with difficult decisions . Some will be forced to leave the farm or ranch and find new jobs in neighboring towns , while others may have to sell their family farm or ranch . The bottom line is : If you eat , this drought will affect you . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Chris Chinn .
Chris Chinn 's farm has been badly affected by the drought . The farmer says he is losing about 20 per cent of his crops every year and that it will take him a long time to get back on track. Chinn : The drought means taking on more debt and possibly selling off livestock . The drought will change lives on farms and will raise food prices for all , she says .