Stocker Steve- I actually was interested in non GMO about 3 years ago. We were battling round up resistance in Almaranth and I had to go back to tillage to incorporate some yellows in front of cotton and beans. The prices are much better on non GMO as far as seed, but you also have to count the cost of disc, bearings, plow sweeps, extra fuel etc. Not to mention time over the acres.
I found cotton seed in Tenn(I think) for around $100/bag as apposed to $600 for GMO. Other than that, I almost couldn't find any corn or beans that would fit my growing season. I use a 100 day plus corn, and group 6-7 bean here.
I think you nailed it, the bean counters have decided what our efforts will be worth it seems. Sometimes I wish I had gotten $50/acre. I'm almost out of it now though, I have given up leased land every year for the last 3 years. Whats left isnt hardly worth bothering with. Thinking of going to a oats/rye grass fall planting, hay that in the spring and no till beans behind that type rotation. That way the fertilizer is on the hay that I might can turn in to beef, then the beans will get about 2 trips with the sprayer and a prayer.
I'm pretty sure folks on CT think I'm crazy already, so I was glad to see you understood my point on that. I really, really, really don't want to think that cloning will be a big deal in the cattle business. In conversation with a fellow breeder about it, he says if cloning becomes cheap enough to use mainstream it will be a failure and in about 4 years the clones would be recip cows. If it really is something to be a rich mans deal to make those fake bids at the registered sales even higher, my friend might be right.
The same guy also said if it becomes the new normal to make calfs, he will get out and go fishing. I can see that end coming. Heck in my area, many guys still wont even buy a registered bull , not to mention a ET. If you gotta clone to stay in it, I foresee a lot of pine trees being planted in old cow pastures around here.(Happened to row crop land 30 years ago)
By the way, when I asked my local seed dealers about the non GMO seed, they all told me I couldn't get it. They don't make those variety's anymore, etc.
Cotton1