Tough year for US farmers?

[Klause]

Some of you guys need to understand how the US works... You'd get eaten alive farming down there.


Growing corn and beans (especially corn) is input intensive. Makes canola look like a cheap alternative.

Add to that 250/acre rent.

Tell me how they make so much money with 500-700/acre costs and $2 corn.




Alberta has the exact same programs as the US for the most part. Revenue insurance is part of crop insurance there.


Yet few use it cause it's expensive as all heck.


In Dekalb, Il, rents are up around that 300/acre mark now... some even higher.

What's your per acre per year cost on land that's $12,000/acre, financing it?

You realise you can't notill corn and forget about it till harvest. Very often you need to do primary tillage. Then plant. Then side dress once, sometimes twice. Spray upteen times.

Harvest. Get rid of the stalks. Run a disk through or have a chopping head or bale the stover.

Don't forget drying costs. Propane/nat gas isn't that cheap.

[charliep]

Actually Alberta doesn't have a revenue insurance anymore. We used to have a small one but gone for a few years. There is still a price insurance program (spring price endorsement) but that is optional, required a decision last spring and has premium costs.

Been so long since US programs have paid out so I have forgotten the mechanics but changes have occurred which will reduce benefits.

[grassfarmer]

"Alberta has the exact same programs as the US for the most part."
Not quite LOL, the entitlement only extends as far as the governing party here.