Farmers in America are killing themselves, sobering artical

[beaverdam]

caseih, that chart someone had on here a while ago about farm net income over the decades tells all . all the greedy pricks that are living off of us can't get enough anymore and lots of them don't want to be bothered on weekends either . they're living the high life at our expense WITHOUT RISK !


just had to add that little bit at the end.

[MBgrower]

Really a sobering thought, but I wonder how much is our own fault. If it wasn't for trying to be the big dog on the block wouldn't that release a lot of stress, floating million dollar operating loans can't be fun.
I think this high impute farming is what's killing us, over production, new iron more acres, go,go, go there has to be a point where you can be comfortable without running off all your neibours,there was a time you would stop for a smoke and visit across fence, ever see that anymore.

I agree, its all self inflicted. Have a couple good years and its time to spend spend spend, flipping equipment, bidding up land and rents, buying all the snake oil offered to them. Who doesn't understand that farming is cyclical, a couple of good years is followed by perhaps a decade of downturn. if you don't build up contingencies for bad years, you wont survive.

[furrowtickler]

that chart someone had on here a while ago about farm net income over the decades tells all . all the greedy pricks that are living off of us can't get enough anymore and lots of them don't want to be bothered on weekends either . they're living the high life at our expense

Bingo case ..... this increasing stress levels ... dramatically.

[grassfarmer]

I think this is the graphic some are referring to. Also a link to the article it came from.

http://www.darrinqualman.com/canadian-net-farm-income/ http://https://www.darrinqualman.com/canadian-net-farm-income/

[Bowerpower]

There will always be someone willing to farm and take on the risk. Just the way it is. Knowing when to roll the dice is key. Can’t expect big returns every year. I for one am tightening the belt. The 700-800 thousand dollar combines and 4500 acre land can wait. Margins aren’t there for that to make sense. But most guys will spend every dollar they have on land/ equipment etc and whine when bills can’t be paid. This low interest era will be the downfall of a lot of farms I think. Debt needs to be managed and paid back. Us common folk are not the government.

[Guest]

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I think this is the graphic some are referring to. Also a link to the article it came from.

http://www.darrinqualman.com/canadian-net-farm-income/ http://https://www.darrinqualman.com/canadian-net-farm-income/

thanks grass ,it's a real eye opener to what's happening in Ag
we bought the whole line of bullshit that we had to get more efficient , sure don't see efficiencies at grain elevators . used to be one or two guys running an elevator . they would come out and help you dump your truck and clean your corners. now there is an office full and not one of them can look up from their iPhone long enough to look out the window and see if you are even hitting the pit
we have one local one here that is run like an old elevator , sure is refreshing . oh and protien is always .2 to .3 % better at it

[grassfarmer]

You're welcome caseih! You hit the nail on the head with farmers becoming more efficient - the other players in AG don't have to become more efficient once they eliminate the competition. 2 rail companies, half a dozen grain companies, less than that fertiliser and agro chemical companies. Once you control the market place there is no need to become more efficient - you can set the prices for your product wherever you want and indulge in all kinds of inefficiency with the proceeds.

[sawfly1]

We have been trained to work like dogs. The 1980s for sure ,no time for chit chat. If you did not get
With the game. You were not in it
For long.
Enough industry's had the market power,or the right govt.connection
To get their cut first.
We did get some govt. Support.
But only 1/3 of what the American s got. So it was tough.
That I think made us leaner.
We weeded out at least 75% of us.

Lucky for us population kept growing. And the third world could
Make enough to buy our stuff.
A world grain glut is not a constant thing anymore..
AND we have had good times.

If we price rent and land out of profitability. Borrow on new iron.
What happens will be our own fault.