Ag acres whittled down by growth and low prices

Mike Shay has noticed something about the farmers who come in to his office at the West Greeley Soil Conservation District: They’re getting older.

More and more of the men he sees are in their late 50s and up. Not only are they older, but Shay sees a change in their attitude as well. With margins so close and commodity prices lower than many have seen in decades, many feel some desperation tinged with sadness.

“I talked to one farmer — and as their age goes up, I think we’ll hear a lot more of this — he said, ‘Son, It just…