How agriculture works thread

[Cougsfan]

I didn't say I was surprised. What is happening is quite predictable. Perhaps I am in the minority when I think that having 75 snowmobile manufacturers has advantages over having 4. If our priority is having cheap food and it having to be that way because the corporate farms is more economical and the family farm becomes a distant memory, we are certainly headed in the right direction. Just don't tell me it is "better".
Why on earth would you think having six family owned corporations farming 1,070 square miles is "better" than having hundreds of families making a living off the same land? That is an excellent example of the true cost of cheap food. The economics of scale are definitely true, but that doesn't always necessarily make it the best choice. The rich are going to continue to get richer and those who get squeezed out are going to get left behind. The economics of scale sent them to the unemployment line. And some of their kids may very well end up smoking meth in a house they can rent for dirt cheap in the dried up little rural town because their options for a good life are pretty damn dim (That isn't exaggerating, that is what is happening!)

 

[ArlyA]

Why on earth would you think having six family owned corporations farming 1,070 square miles is "better" than having hundreds of families making a living off the same land?

One of these "corporations" is my sis and her hubby. Its a family operation weather you call it something else or not.

 

[jjp8182]

The discussion can branch off to corporate farming versus family farms.

That should also lead into the discussion of what a corporate farm vs family farm actually means since filing the paperwork to change a family farm into a corporate farm owned solely by the farming family can make a lot of sense from some perspectives (e.g. separating liabilities and finances into "farm" vs. "household"). Incorporating can also make for more stable transition of the farm and it's assets between generations as the younger generations would potentially need to buy into the corporation as owners vs. it being an inheritance split among children (some of whom may have no interest in the farm and cause it to be broken up so they can get "their share").

 

[Hay Dude]

Biggest change to farming in my area is the end of the family farm. They have been probably 95% sold off. Some were bought by developers, some by wealthy people or conservancies. With that, farming has completely changed. Wealthy land owners have no clue how to farm. They put that in the hands of farmers like me. There are more of us commercial, custom farmers than family farms.

 

[ArlyA]

I didn't say I was surprised. What is happening is quite predictable. Perhaps I am in the minority when I think that having 75 snowmobile manufacturers has advantages over having 4. If our priority is having cheap food and it having to be that way because the corporate farms is more economical and the family farm becomes a distant memory, we are certainly headed in the right direction. Just don't tell me it is "better".
Why on earth would you think having six family owned corporations farming 1,070 square miles is "better" than having hundreds of families making a living off the same land? That is an excellent example of the true cost of cheap food. The economics of scale are definitely true, but that doesn't always necessarily make it the best choice. The rich are going to continue to get richer and those who get squeezed out are going to get left behind. The economics of scale sent them to the unemployment line. And some of their kids may very well end up smoking meth in a house they can rent for dirt cheap in the dried up little rural town because their options for a good life are pretty damn dim (That isn't exaggerating, that is what is happening!)

If we still had 75 snowmobile manufacturers, none of them would be making any money. This is pretty basic manufacturing economics. They went bankrupt or sold to another for a reason. Agriculture isn't much different, if you did OK and ran your business well, when when neighbor Joe retires, you buy or rent his land. Most kids didn't want it either.

 

[ovrszd]

If we still had 75 snowmobile manufacturers, none of them would be making any money. This is pretty basic manufacturing economics. They went bankrupt or sold to another for a reason. Agriculture isn't much different, if you did OK and ran your business well, when when neighbor Joe retires, you buy or rent his land. Most kids didn't want it either.

Yep. And as more of your neighbors get old and sell off so you buy them too. Pretty soon you are the big corporate farmer that some people hate. When in reality you are a family farm operation that was willing to take the risk and double down. Those family farming operations are in the small minority. Around here it's less than 5%. I've spent my life here. There are three family farm names left out of the hundred or so that existed in the late 50s.

I much prefer this than "city" people coming in here and buying up land so they can hunt. Then they complain because that tractor or combine is in their way when they are trying to go to town....... Then they'll say stupid stuff like those machines shouldn't be allowed on the roads except an hour a day..... True story.....

 

[jjp8182]

Yep. And as more of your neighbors get old and sell off so you buy them too. Pretty soon you are the big corporate farmer that some people hate. When in reality you are a family farm operation that was willing to take the risk and double down. Those family farming operations are in the small minority. Around here it's less than 5%. I've spent my life here. There are three family farm names left out of the hundred or so that existed in the late 50s.

I much prefer this than "city" people coming in here and buying up land so they can hunt. Then they complain because that tractor or combine is in their way when they are trying to go to town....... Then they'll say stupid stuff like those machines shouldn't be allowed on the roads except an hour a day..... True story.....

That just reminded me of a story a coworker told me (he grew up on one of those family/corporate farms) when we were "talking shop" about past agricultural experiences.

He was driving a large articulated tractor pulling one (or more) implements through town and a compact car tried to pass him ....and on coming traffic caused the car driver to pull into a space between the tractor and towed implement ....as they were coming up to a red light.

Was resolved safely when the light changed .... but attempting to accelerate from a full stop at red light with a car parked between the tractor and towed implement (where the car driver can't see a thing).

.....life sure can make fiction seem boring at times.

 

[MoKelly]

Biggest change to farming in my area is the end of the family farm. They have been probably 95% sold off. Some were bought by developers, some by wealthy people or conservancies. With that, farming has completely changed. Wealthy land owners have no clue how to farm. They put that in the hands of farmers like me. There are more of us commercial, custom farmers than family farms.

And that seems OK to me. At least they understand farming isn’t their expertise and they hire those that know.

MoKelly

 

[Hay Dude]

And that seems OK to me. At least they understand farming isn’t their expertise and they hire those that know.

MoKelly

Not only is it ok, it’s a blessing for me. Extremely wealthy landowners and Land Conservancies are my biggest and best customers.

 

[ArlyA]

Laura in Nebraska got to test run a JD RX8 tractor which cost over 1/2 a million and sports 400+hp. The planter has 24 rows and I'm unsure of its cost. Ya, this is farming.