What Does Your Local Farmer Make?

[MDNick]

Interesting Link.

Forwarded it to my Dad. His comment went something like, "Found dam near everyone I know in Holmes County". I recognized about 40-50 people. One farm listed as an entity, then the owner, then his son.

I have mixed feelings. Part of me hates handouts, part of me hates to see farms growing houses, and without assistance in the lean times, that is what happens.

In reality, the best money maker a farmer can grow is pot or houses. Good money in both, long as you get away with the first./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif But I really cringe to see a nice farm chopped up into lots.

 

[cowboydoc]

I don't see any problem with this at all. I'm from a farming and ranching background and we never did care much for the govt. interference. If you're going to take public money then it should be public knowledge. There's no reason at all that is shouldn't be made public. After all like people forget it's our money that pays these bills.

 

[MDNick]

I agree totally with you cowboydoc. That money WAS my money. My mixed feelings are in the handouts in general, not in seeing it posted. Public money, public information.

 

[CVHoss]

Since I'm not a farmer, can anyone explain a couple of terms for me?

Market Loss Assistance
Loan Deficiency Payments

These are listed on the individual breakdowns of payments, and I was curious as to their meanings.

Thanks,
Hoss

 

[cowboydoc]

Hoss,
You really don't want to know but I'll tell you. Market loss assistance is what the govt. pays the farmers to make up for the amount of money that the crop should have made to est. a profit for the farmer. If corn is at $1.98. Well the govt. will pay you another 20-50 cents a bushel so you can make a profit after you have sold it. Oh but it gets better. You can take adv. of a very, very low interest loan from the govt. as well or NO INTEREST to play the futures market and with their MONEY. It's complicated but basically they pay you when the price isn't right or pay you to hold onto it and sell when you can make a profit.

Secondly on loan defic. payments if you cannot make your payments because you didn't make enough from your crops then the govt. will pay back the amt. that keeps you from foreclosure. Now nevermind the fact that you went out and bought a new $250,000 combine last year and now can't make the payments. That's the abuse. It was designed to help the little guy stay afloat in bad years but now, like that idiot that promotes his tax loophole book on tv, people have abused it and are getting big bucks for getting too far into debt. Alot of the big corp. do it on purpose so they can show a loss and get the assistance to pay back loans.