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<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1791566" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>I agree with what you are talking about. There are 2 reasons for it that I can see. We have been pushed to make do with prices that do not keep up with the times so have to try to make it up in quantity.... dairy farmers have seen this for years. Costs meant they needed $17/cwt on milk and they barely keep it in the black... then we get the last couple of years where input costs TRIPLED and they got $23/cwt.... so they kept more heifers and milked more and tried to increase output per cow. Dairy farmers get paid more per cwt if they have at least 1/2 tanker load.... $.10-.30 PER cwt.... that's alot.... Stretch the small increase over more cows... volume output.... now the costs have dropped some, inputs are less costly BUT NOT back to pre "pandemic levels"... and milk is dropping back to $17/cwt in the next 2 months... So they are getting older and decide to sell the land across the street for more money than the land can ever make for them.....why be tied down 7 days a week and keep on working when no one wants to take it over either... </p><p> </p><p>Then you get the "wannabe's" that have a "20 acre estate".... add to it all the chemicals they use to keep it "pristine"... all the mowing, destroying the overgrown fence rows where the rabbits could hide and raise a litter or two.... and the quail could have a nest and raise some chicks. There is no "wet spots" where they could get a little drink. They "tamed" the land so it is just another estate that requires more and more inputs to keep it "just so".</p><p></p><p>There are not the number of local small producers, or the number of stock sale yards, so that buyers can come in and get the "load lots" they need to make it economical to ship the numbers they need, to others that will graze the cattle before going to feedlots. It costs the truckers XX dollars per mile whether they have a full load or 10 head.... so the money is in the "load lots" ... and you can feed the numbers on smaller pieces of ground if you bring the feed to them and dry lot them... there goes the balance on the land.... </p><p></p><p>Equipment costs out the a$$ and it is not nearly as "fixable" as it once was... you can maintain an older tractor yourself if you are a "halfway decent mechanic"... you can't even begin to work on the hi-tech electronic stuff nowadays.... so you need more land to justify that expense and if you can't make the land pay for it through the crop, then why keep killing yourself. </p><p></p><p>Then the younger generation does not see it as profitable. It's not... When you can work a 40-50 hr week job and have leisure time and make 3x the money a 7 day a week farm will pay you... IF you have a good year and the weather cooperates.......WHY do it???? There is not the connection between this younger generation and the land.... they did not grow up with Uncle Bill having a farm they go to visit in the summer, or feel any personal satisfaction of a hot day on a hay wagon and a cool off in the creek after and a little pocket money... and all the good food they can eat..and the freedom the farm allows.... </p><p>There is such a disconnect to the land in so much of this country. Part of it is that most have never gone hungry, have never had to do without... When those times come around, there is going to be such a rude awakening, and by then it will be too late because they will look to the government to "take care of them".... and will be controlled by said government and not understand what they have lost because they have never had to "do for themselves".... it is becoming a totally foreign concept.... </p><p></p><p>If we make $300 /head "profit" on feeders, we have to run 150 cows to be sure of the 100+ head of feeders to sell..... that with all said and done... that is ONLY $30,000 for 365 days of hard work... Not like working the 260 days at a job away from home with weekends off... and making 40-50-80,000 a year.... Plus all the money you have tied up in whatever equipment you own and the maintenance that goes into keeping it running. Not counting that your household expenses are probably less than the "fancy houses"... but you still have to pay them on alot less income than the 5 day a week person.... </p><p>You are "on call"...... ALL THE TIME ..... for animals, for getting the crops in on time... at the mercy of the weather.... and constantly changing plans to fit the weather....</p><p></p><p>As a populance in general, many/most do not want to live the quieter, slower pace of life.... they are not happy with having less or content with what they have... and that is a big part of it.... WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1791566, member: 25884"] I agree with what you are talking about. There are 2 reasons for it that I can see. We have been pushed to make do with prices that do not keep up with the times so have to try to make it up in quantity.... dairy farmers have seen this for years. Costs meant they needed $17/cwt on milk and they barely keep it in the black... then we get the last couple of years where input costs TRIPLED and they got $23/cwt.... so they kept more heifers and milked more and tried to increase output per cow. Dairy farmers get paid more per cwt if they have at least 1/2 tanker load.... $.10-.30 PER cwt.... that's alot.... Stretch the small increase over more cows... volume output.... now the costs have dropped some, inputs are less costly BUT NOT back to pre "pandemic levels"... and milk is dropping back to $17/cwt in the next 2 months... So they are getting older and decide to sell the land across the street for more money than the land can ever make for them.....why be tied down 7 days a week and keep on working when no one wants to take it over either... Then you get the "wannabe's" that have a "20 acre estate".... add to it all the chemicals they use to keep it "pristine"... all the mowing, destroying the overgrown fence rows where the rabbits could hide and raise a litter or two.... and the quail could have a nest and raise some chicks. There is no "wet spots" where they could get a little drink. They "tamed" the land so it is just another estate that requires more and more inputs to keep it "just so". There are not the number of local small producers, or the number of stock sale yards, so that buyers can come in and get the "load lots" they need to make it economical to ship the numbers they need, to others that will graze the cattle before going to feedlots. It costs the truckers XX dollars per mile whether they have a full load or 10 head.... so the money is in the "load lots" ... and you can feed the numbers on smaller pieces of ground if you bring the feed to them and dry lot them... there goes the balance on the land.... Equipment costs out the a$$ and it is not nearly as "fixable" as it once was... you can maintain an older tractor yourself if you are a "halfway decent mechanic"... you can't even begin to work on the hi-tech electronic stuff nowadays.... so you need more land to justify that expense and if you can't make the land pay for it through the crop, then why keep killing yourself. Then the younger generation does not see it as profitable. It's not... When you can work a 40-50 hr week job and have leisure time and make 3x the money a 7 day a week farm will pay you... IF you have a good year and the weather cooperates.......WHY do it???? There is not the connection between this younger generation and the land.... they did not grow up with Uncle Bill having a farm they go to visit in the summer, or feel any personal satisfaction of a hot day on a hay wagon and a cool off in the creek after and a little pocket money... and all the good food they can eat..and the freedom the farm allows.... There is such a disconnect to the land in so much of this country. Part of it is that most have never gone hungry, have never had to do without... When those times come around, there is going to be such a rude awakening, and by then it will be too late because they will look to the government to "take care of them".... and will be controlled by said government and not understand what they have lost because they have never had to "do for themselves".... it is becoming a totally foreign concept.... If we make $300 /head "profit" on feeders, we have to run 150 cows to be sure of the 100+ head of feeders to sell..... that with all said and done... that is ONLY $30,000 for 365 days of hard work... Not like working the 260 days at a job away from home with weekends off... and making 40-50-80,000 a year.... Plus all the money you have tied up in whatever equipment you own and the maintenance that goes into keeping it running. Not counting that your household expenses are probably less than the "fancy houses"... but you still have to pay them on alot less income than the 5 day a week person.... You are "on call"...... ALL THE TIME ..... for animals, for getting the crops in on time... at the mercy of the weather.... and constantly changing plans to fit the weather.... As a populance in general, many/most do not want to live the quieter, slower pace of life.... they are not happy with having less or content with what they have... and that is a big part of it.... WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH. [/QUOTE]
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