By Marlee Jackson

Evan Nelson is no stranger to battling blazes. A former full-time firefighter, Evan and wife Christy now put out proverbial fires while managing trainees, customers and crops at Nelson Cattle & Hay LLC in McCalla.

“He is just busy, busy, busy all the time,” Christy said. “Everybody needs something. Things are changing on a dime. It’s very stressful and taxing on him and us as a family.”

Factors they can’t control often fan the flames of stress. While that list has long included unpredictable weather, business costs and economic shifts, the Nelsons say an increasing concern is the cost of health care coverage.

“With having three boys (Cash, 13, Crue, 7, and Briggs, 5) and working on the farm, we have to have health insurance,” Evan said. “But I don’t want everything we do to have to be based around, ‘Can we afford health insurance?’”

For years, the Nelsons worked off farm to access employer-provided health insurance. Since farming full time, affordable coverage has been elusive, landing them with a new plan nearly every year. Recently, they’ve qualified for subsidies through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Their farm has also grown — good news that comes with a penalty. Higher income will soon bump the Nelsons out of qualification for ACA subsidies. They’ll seek coverage elsewhere. It’s a stressful change Evan anticipates will quickly burn through their budget.

That’s why they’re advocating for Alfa Health Plans. In the 2025 Legislative Session, a bill will be introduced to allow the Alabama Farmers Federation to sell members affordable, quality health plans. Similar legislation in nine states has lowered members’ health care coverage costs anywhere from 30% to 60%.

“There are many options out there right now that are thousands of dollars a month, but we simply can’t afford that,” Evan said. “We need something like an Alfa Health Plan that would fit our needs but also fit our family budget.”

Alfa Health Plans would provide peace of mind, Evan said. That’s invaluable for the Nelsons, who primarily grow hay that helps control erosion on construction sites. When the economy booms, so does construction. 

The inverse is also true. Those unpredictable realities directly affect their bottom line.

While farming is rewarding, it’s also inherently dangerous. Even with diligent care and attention, accidents are possible when heavy machinery, livestock and solitary work are in the equation.

Those unexpected issues underscore the Nelsons’ need for quality health care coverage.

So do their sons.

Cash, Crue and Briggs are “100% all boy.” They’re always on the go building forts, riding ATVs and playing sports. They also help on the farm, simultaneously enjoying the freedoms of childhood while learning about responsibilities.

Christy said confidence in her family’s coverage is critical when those adventures become mishaps that lead to medical care.

“Peace of mind is worth all the money in the world,” Christy said. “What we do is so stressful, and it’s so up in the air. An Alfa Health Plan would give us the comfort of knowing our family is going to be taken care of, that we can afford to take care of our family.”