News: farmers killing themselves in staggering numbers

[drssg]

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...

I’m no expert, but I think it’s just size and efficiency. It’s like small grocery stores trying to compete against Wal*Mart. I wouldn’t know how to address it beyond artificially regulating price or size of the operation.

 

[ovrszd]

But my drone props spin the same way as yours

Speaking of that, I launched a few days ago and the drone tipped upside down and slammed into the ground on it's back. A prop had came off. I gently snug them. I think it changed motor speed dramatically to gain stabilization when launching. The centrifical force of the spinnin prop spun it off the shaft. Was a clockwise to tighten prop that came off.

If I had been down under would it have been a CCW prop????

 

[drssg]

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.

I don’t have any personal experience, so I don’t want to get too judgmental. It would make sense that some farmers probably get set in their ways and continue to throw good money after bad.

I definitely agree with “adapt or die.” I was a computer programmer for 30 years. If I did things the same way for a few years, I’d quickly become obsolete.

 

[KYErik]

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

Very true for the farmers don't have the skills or the time to repair equipment. Most small family farmers have to be able to split their own tractor/replace their own bearings on equipment if their want to stay in the black. The new computerized equipment can be next to impossible to troubleshoot without special training- that's why I am a fan of older equipment.

In this area, you need a full time job to feed the family if you farm less than 1000 acres.

 

[super55]

In the US dairy prices have crashed and they won't be coming back anytime soon. Todays milk price is 15.24 for 100 pounds which is about 11.5 gallons of milk. All the small dairy farms around me shut doors. One farmer told me he needs 14 per hundred just to break even. Ballpark a holstein produces 6 gallons of milk a day that means for every 2 cows milked you profit a $1.25.

A hundred milkers will give you a whopping daily profit of 62.25, Thats a lot of work for not much take home. All the dairy guys I know have transitioned into feeder stock, hay, or commodity crops. They are completely out of dairy but could easily transition back in if the market ever improves since all the milker stations and the parlors are still functional. But with today's commercial mega farms I highly doubt the small guy will be able to compete with today's new super farms.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I don't know where I could get milk at '60's prices, I think it was .50 a gallon? now, I pay $4 a gallon, something is odd.. where can I buy milk at '60's prices, I'd sure like to know!..

We've been buying milk for under $1/gal. for a long time. We just bought a gallon yesterday for 88 cents.

Kevin

 

[JamesHW]

Just a note that the CDC report the various farmer suicide stories lately were based on was retracted by the CDC last week. Apparently an error was made by combining two distinct demographics, Ag workers (80% Hispanic; 23k average annual income) with farmers who are classified as managers (99% white; 79k average annual income) in the rate of suicides. It is confusing as there is a class of workers known as the triple F, Farming, Fishing & Forestry, but apparently farmers, considered managers, are not supposed to be included in that category. The rate of suicide by the farmer/manager demographic is yet to be released.

NEWS: CDC retracts finding that farmers have the highest suicide rate in the country.

 

[radios1]

In the US dairy prices have crashed and they won't be coming back anytime soon. Todays milk price is 15.24 for 100 pounds which is about 11.5 gallons of milk. All the small dairy farms around me shut doors. One farmer told me he needs 14 per hundred just to break even. Ballpark a holstein produces 6 gallons of milk a day that means for every 2 cows milked you profit a $1.25.

A hundred milkers will give you a whopping daily profit of 62.25, Thats a lot of work for not much take home. All the dairy guys I know have transitioned into feeder stock, hay, or commodity crops. They are completely out of dairy but could easily transition back in if the market ever improves since all the milker stations and the parlors are still functional. But with today's commercial mega farms I highly doubt the small guy will be able to compete with today's new super farms.

the problem is, someone else is making large profits, and it's not the farmers.. WHY should farmers be burdened by high costs to make milk?. something changed for the worse!.. it's not just milk though, other types of farming suffer from exorbitant fertilizer, and other prices.. isn't greed great?.. here is a possible explanation for one part of the problem. way too much production by megafarms.. America has a cheese problem that's only going to get worse still, milk prices should be low enough that they are not outrageous, yet, everyone makes a fair and decent profit.. it used to be that way!..

 

[super55]

I believe there are several factors that keep farming profits low.

1. As contrary as this may sound. Farmers have gotten too good at their jobs. 20 cow milking carousels, 200 bu acre corn, etc. All ag products are priced on futures and right now grain silos are full and there is an overabundance of milk on the market. About 5 years ago beef was the big item and showing good profits for farmers. Then all the farmers transitioned to beef and saturated the market and the price went back down. I don't blame them diversity is the key to survivability when it comes to farming. You got to go where the money is at.

2. Farmers have to deal with a global competition now. Example, The area I live in is very big cherry producers. Their Co-Op went and did a big nationwide promo to educate the health benefits from cherries to help drive demand for their product which they have an overabundance of. The plan worked and demand for cherries in the US increased. The problem was all the additional cherries needed by vendors ended up getting imported from Turkey. So they did all the legwork but someone else benefited.

 

[ovrszd]

I believe there are several factors that keep farming profits low.

1. As contrary as this may sound. Farmers have gotten too good at their jobs. 20 cow milking carousels, 200 bu acre corn, etc. All ag products are priced on futures and right now grain silos are full and there is an overabundance of milk on the market. About 5 years ago beef was the big item and showing good profits for farmers. Then all the farmers transitioned to beef and saturated the market and the price went back down. I don't blame them diversity is the key to survivability when it comes to farming. You got to go where the money is at.

2. Farmers have to deal with a global competition now. Example, The area I live in is very big cherry producers. Their Co-Op went and did a big nationwide promo to educate the health benefits from cherries to help drive demand for their product which they have an overabundance of. The plan worked and demand for cherries in the US increased. The problem was all the additional cherries needed by vendors ended up getting imported from Turkey. So they did all the legwork but someone else benefited.

Well stated.

My very large corn/beans farmer friend says he would rather grow 50 bushel p/acre corn and sell it for $15 p/bushel than to raise 200 bushel p/acre corn and sell it for $3.75 p/bushel.