Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't it illegal to hold over Big Ag seed to plant the next near?
Can you do that with conventional seed?
Why are Farmers never happy?
- Thread starter ClonesTwenty1
- Start date
Can you do that with conventional seed?
It's a vast field of study and application I would never claim to be an authority despite more than thirty years working in it. Do you understand why people like myself might not want to want to engage someone with strong feelings and a couple internet links?
I actually do share your concern for soil conservation and water protection, but you seem to prefer to pick a fight. I do take exception to any claim I am just hurling insults your way. I would appreciate you pointing them out to me.
I think I understand what you're saying. That was my point. I doubt you could be competitive by going against the grain of the industry.
What is breathtaking are the guys that bellyache about single mothers in the city on welfare, yet they receive hundreds of thousands in subsidies
You were talking down to me and even suggested making fun of my profession. I admitted to hyperbole and posted a link with information in it. I'm not in your position, I don't get this information handed to me. I'm at the mercy of search engines. I like getting real information from people. I don't think you've read my posts in total and I don't expect you to but don't jerk off about your credentials and suggest belittling me because I have differing opinions than you.
I will be transparent with you. I work in research for one of the big ag companies. We are spending billions a year on R&D. A lot of it to come up with products that can adapt to climate change. We wouldn’t have the money to spend on that if farmers kept their seed and planted it. Public lines are being developed for people to buy and replant but the rate at which those come out is significantly slower because there isn’t the money to spend on R&D. That comes from grants and university funds
This guy by no means is a big farmer or anything but he has an interesting YouTube channel I occasionally watch. He takes on a light hearted approach to his videos and tries to break down what he does in simple terms. I found this one interesting on how he broke down the basics on the pigs he butchers and sells and how much it actually costs him to get a final product. You probably have to get about halfway into the video to get to a the break down of all that but the real interesting part is probably in the last 5 minutes where he explains how it costs him more to raise his own pork than it probably would be to just go buy it at the grocery store because of how things favor the corporate farms and packing industry who can do it cheaper. The trade off though is you will probably get a better quality meat from your local farmer than what you can get at the grocery store.
The cattle industry has similar issues but you can probably find cheaper and better quality beef if you buy from a local farmer instead of the store. We get our beef from my brother in law who holds back a certain number of steers a year and he sells us the beef at live weight the time he takes the steer to the locker and we pay the processing fees. What we pay him for the animal is basically what he would get if he took it to the sale barn instead so he's really not making anything extra on either way although some livestock producers likely will mark up the price to make a little more profit that way and still make it a more affordable product for the consumer too. That is where the meat packers are raking in some big profits these days because they acquire the animals at a low cost because they basically dictate the market prices and then can process them cheaper than the local locker can then they mark it way up for retail.
There really is no easy way to explain some of this agriculture stuff without getting more wordy than I have already in my posts but it's not as cut and dry or black and white as some think it is because there are so many variables that factor into profit margins in farming and it constantly changes. Fertilizer and fuel costs are always changing as well as many other inputs. You could essential plant a crop with record high input costs then watch the market prices fall to lows by the time you harvest it and have it essentially wind up costing you more to grow the crop than you get for it when you harvest it. There is always mother nature who can help or hinder your yields too. Could have an expensive piece of machinery break down and cost a big repair bill.
Bottom line, even though I do not farm for a living I grew up around it and still have family and friends that farm for a living so I will defend their way of living because I know the hard work and tough circumstances they deal with and am glad I don't have to do it for a living. I am glad I have a comfortable office cube I earn my paycheck from and can complain about petty/insignificant things and don't have to worry about the next big storm hurting my bottom line or not knowing what my income for the year is going to be until I take a product to the market and hope the prices are good. When my father in law was still alive he always made a point to tell the grandkids to go to college and find a good job because farming isn't easy and not always fun either. I'm thankful for the job I have because I know first hand myself how much it sucks to try to thaw out a livestock water in the middle of a blizzard just so your cows have water to drink or to go check cows after a thunderstorm and find one that was struck dead by lightning.
The cattle industry has similar issues but you can probably find cheaper and better quality beef if you buy from a local farmer instead of the store. We get our beef from my brother in law who holds back a certain number of steers a year and he sells us the beef at live weight the time he takes the steer to the locker and we pay the processing fees. What we pay him for the animal is basically what he would get if he took it to the sale barn instead so he's really not making anything extra on either way although some livestock producers likely will mark up the price to make a little more profit that way and still make it a more affordable product for the consumer too. That is where the meat packers are raking in some big profits these days because they acquire the animals at a low cost because they basically dictate the market prices and then can process them cheaper than the local locker can then they mark it way up for retail.
There really is no easy way to explain some of this agriculture stuff without getting more wordy than I have already in my posts but it's not as cut and dry or black and white as some think it is because there are so many variables that factor into profit margins in farming and it constantly changes. Fertilizer and fuel costs are always changing as well as many other inputs. You could essential plant a crop with record high input costs then watch the market prices fall to lows by the time you harvest it and have it essentially wind up costing you more to grow the crop than you get for it when you harvest it. There is always mother nature who can help or hinder your yields too. Could have an expensive piece of machinery break down and cost a big repair bill.
Bottom line, even though I do not farm for a living I grew up around it and still have family and friends that farm for a living so I will defend their way of living because I know the hard work and tough circumstances they deal with and am glad I don't have to do it for a living. I am glad I have a comfortable office cube I earn my paycheck from and can complain about petty/insignificant things and don't have to worry about the next big storm hurting my bottom line or not knowing what my income for the year is going to be until I take a product to the market and hope the prices are good. When my father in law was still alive he always made a point to tell the grandkids to go to college and find a good job because farming isn't easy and not always fun either. I'm thankful for the job I have because I know first hand myself how much it sucks to try to thaw out a livestock water in the middle of a blizzard just so your cows have water to drink or to go check cows after a thunderstorm and find one that was struck dead by lightning.
Honestly this is kind of why I started this thread. I know it’s just a few, but the few farmers I know personally are ones who whine about their crops and it being rough out there with their $300,000 tractors and $70,000 brand new truck and yet they are judging single mothers and poor that are just trying to make a rent payment each month in a **** apartment…yet that farmer sure welcomes that bailout check every time.
The ag companies protecting their products with intellectual property patents is pretty similar to many industries outside of agriculture. I’m sure Apple has a ridiculous amount of IP protection on their products so people can’t just take their designs and recreate the iPhone. Artists protect their music with patent protection. I guess I don’t understand why ag should be expected to be different. It also protects universities as well. The great land grant universities also have patents developed by researchers that they sell or partner with large companies to help fund their programs. In turn they ask the companies to protect their patents as well.
I think it favors major industry and has basically destroyed the small farmer but I'm sure you have better insight.
Asking questions and keeping people accountable in a polite and decent manner is a good thing. Cutting people down and being derogatory about their profession usually makes you wind up looking foolish. My opinion of food service changed a lot and I'm way more patient and understanding after working multiple jobs in the industry. I never would have believed delivering mail would be as hard and stressful as it is but the last two years have been eye opening.
There are also a number of concerns around the ethics of patenting genes/biology. As well as how it contributes to a movement toward monopolization of the industry.
You sound just like those farmers you are complaining about. Maybe next time go do something good for this world rather than ******** about someone else’s faults. Oops. Now I sound like you.
Have I been degrading farmers? Maybe you weren't directing it at me but it wasn't my intention.
Being a CCA mail carrier without your own route yet is the worst. Especially if you don’t have a 40 hour or 8 hour a day doctors note for management. They will literally make you work 60+ hours a week running around doing others routes that need delivered. That **** is hell during 100 degree days and -20 degree days.
Your great grandad waxing eloquent on the midnight train?
So the farmers you supposedly talk to sit around complaining about single mothers on welfare? Yea I’m gonna guess you’re making that up.
The average age of the farmer in this country is 57. The end of the small farms can have many causes. One of the largest is the next generation isn’t coming home to the farm. Farm consolidation is happening rapidly because most farmers kids aren’t coming back. Also the farm crisis of the 80’s took a ton of small farms and sent a ton of farm kids to college or town for jobs because there was no money on the farm with ridiculous interest rates and low prices. That’s basically a lost generation of farmers.
