News: farmers killing themselves in staggering numbers

[showcattle]

I've always heard farming is the only industry that buys at retail prices and sells at wholesale prices.

Bruce

"and pays the shipping both ways"

 

[ovrszd]

To anyone thinking having a new tractor is a luxuryto a large farmer I suggest they start their own farming operation and report back with the results.

 

[Groo]

when you use equipment hard and professionally, new payments and old repairs end up costing about the same

 

[drssg]

I have some distant relatives (in-laws of in-laws) that own a large farming operation. Until recent years, that included an impressive dairy operation. I asked him why he sold his dairy cattle and he simply replied, “No money in it.”

I can’t know what is in his heart, but he didn’t seem too torn up over it. He was just being flexible and focusing on profitable areas of the business.

On a possibly related note, he seems quite open to new technology and more efficient ways of doing things. His tractors include GPS controls for various uses. When he applies fertilizer, the tractor controls how much fertilizer goes where, based on the varying need.

I can see where a smaller or less flexible farmer would have trouble keeping up and find it quite depressing.

 

[radios1]

I have some distant relatives (in-laws of in-laws) that own a large farming operation. Until recent years, that included an impressive dairy operation. I asked him why he sold his dairy cattle and he simply replied, “No money in it.”

I can’t know what is in his heart, but he didn’t seem too torn up over it. He was just being flexible and focusing on profitable areas of the business.

On a possibly related note, he seems quite open to new technology and more efficient ways of doing things. His tractors include GPS controls for various uses. When he applies fertilizer, the tractor controls how much fertilizer goes where, based on the varying need.

I can see where a smaller or less flexible farmer would have trouble keeping up and find it quite depressing.

the reason behind "no money in it" seriously needs to be addressed, it used to be profitable for everyone, now, someone else is making the money that even a small farm could make a profit on.. even "milkmen" that delivered milk to your door, are gone...

 

[Groo]

I have some distant relatives (in-laws of in-laws) that own a large farming operation. Until recent years, that included an impressive dairy operation. I asked him why he sold his dairy cattle and he simply replied, “No money in it.”

I can’t know what is in his heart, but he didn’t seem too torn up over it. He was just being flexible and focusing on profitable areas of the business.

On a possibly related note, he seems quite open to new technology and more efficient ways of doing things. His tractors include GPS controls for various uses. When he applies fertilizer, the tractor controls how much fertilizer goes where, based on the varying need.

I can see where a smaller or less flexible farmer would have trouble keeping up and find it quite depressing.

This bushes up against some of the real problem.
These small farmers only want to do the same thing they've always done, they then go out of business, and somehow that is society's fault or something. You either adapt or die. That isn't just farming. That is life. These small farmers don't want to adapt, so they go under. Maybe there is other milk that gets a better return than holstein milk, some swiss wunder cows or the like. Goat milk is probably getting more popular these days. Not getting squat for the same potatoes you've been growing for 40 years? Maybe try to certify organic and try some more foo-foo designer produce.

The other thing that can't be neglected is to play the government system to get the most out of it you can.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I can tell you how to make a small fortune farming. Start with a large fortune.

 

[bunyip]

Australia apparently does things differently than the U.S.A. it's a different Country!..

Wagtail did quote by weight, we simplified things many years ago by going metric and just having one unit of weight in this case Kg, ten times easier
Once it hits 1000kg it becomes a Tonne which is a bit heavier than an Imperial Ton.
No middle references and simple to use and understand.
Liquid is Litres and pressure is Pascals or Kpa, Metres for length.
This all happened shortly after the conversion from Imperial currency to decimal in the mid 60's.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks to our Mates for their contributions to this discussion. I greatly enjoy the differences.

 

[bunyip]

But my drone props spin the same way as yours