Combines Combine Report

Fellows don't get me wrong here. I'd rather have no government interference. But what they are doing right now actually hurts the custom harvester. I know the crop insurance doesn't make the farmer rich, but if a field gets zeroed there are no harvesting expenses either. Besides the zeroed acres this year, farmers have harvested more acres themselves than ever before. The government subsidies right now lead to rather more combines owned by farmers. If they don't run they don't have the expense either. But the custom harvester still has most of the expenses without the income. If the government would quit all the subsidies the prices ultimately would go up, because nobody is able to produce for prices like we had last year. One day politicians will have to learn to cut back on laws instead of creating more, because no western country will be able to afford their outrageous regulations anymore.

I see. Wouldn't trading combines push up your cost againIJ When you try to find more acres to cover the cost, you're going to work more but still don't make anymore, rightIJ How about hiring a custom harvesterIJ Some of them still let you join in and let you provide some labor or a truck. There's always more then one way to skin a cat.

Dakota, You hit the "wheat" on the head when you said,"The custom harvester still has most of the expenses but without the income." If we are going to survive with the same number of harvesters and the reduced acres to harvest we have to keep close track of our expenses. In the past the more acres you cut the more money you made. But if you're loosing a $1.40 on every acre you cut it does'nt make a he$$ of a lot "cents" to cut 3000 acres more than anyone else does. like a lot of harvesters I lost a lot of acres in Western Kansas this year because of the drought. I should still show a profit because I was keeping close track of costs and I'll admit, I got lucky in some places and picked of a few acres over last year, put not near enough to offset the loss in Western Kansas. I'll say it again, if you're not a member of USCHI and taking part in CHAMP you are making a big mistake as a custom harvester. K.A.

Dakota, Yes, Yes, That kind of the way it works nowdays. Expense on all things go up so you need more acres to just make the same amount of money you made last year. I work much harder at 41 than I did at 25 years of age. Get a lot less sleep also. By age 81 I will get 1.98 hours of sleep per day at this pace. A never ending cycle. How about hiring a custom harvester you ask. Don't know of any here in south Il except other farmers and they would have to do there farm first. Cost would be about $25 per acre also. Harvest is spread out in the fall here also and I have many small fields and hard to get to some of them that I don't think anyone else would want to combine them. How much do you charge for combineingIJ What part of the country do you harvest in and what cropsIJ later, Ilnh

I believe the world market sets our prices. The government just subsidises the difference. I will not debate the merits of this p[olicy, just point out that is what happens. We would have to learn to produce at a lower farmgate price ( bigger farms, better cost control ). less new paint, lower land payments. land cost is our single biggest cost, that would have to go down greatly if we were going to compete at world prices. Brazil beats us about $90-100 dollars per acre land cost ( the rest of the costs are surprisingly close ). This is over $2 per bushel.

I see, life is not easy. We are harvesting out west, like Western Kansas in fall. Harvesting charges depend on many things, like the kind of crop, the yield, how may acres, etc. Our fall customers are usually drilling wheat, while we're harvesting their crops. I know there are custom harvesters in Il. I could even help you finding them.

Hello Scooter I haven't seen you on here for a time, hope harvest was good to you. You are right about our land cost being to high, but I starting to get to the age that I hope they don't go down in case I would like to sell some. Farming is kind of like the two guys that have a charging bear coming after them. One tells the other to run and he says you can't out run a bear and the other one says I don't have to, all I have to do is out run you! I can't produce cheaper than S.A. but I have to try to work cheaper and harder that my neighbor across the road. But he can run fast also. Ilnewholland

Dakota, life's not that bad, don't know what else I would want to do but farm. I don't think I could let any one else harvest my crops as I enjoy combines and running them. By running the combine myself I can see how my crops look in all parts of the field. My wife runs the combine also and I think she enjoys being up their also, but she wouldn't tell you that! Ilnh

Do you also realize that thanks to farmers like you, we have our cheap food supply hereIJ Don't get me wrong. If you're happy, keep doing it.

Unit2, I appreciate the detailed post. last year we bought a 1989 1660 with 2600 hours on it. Since then we have put about 1000 acres of wheat and milo through it and have a total repair bill of $35.41 (I believe that is the amount) for one hydraulic coupling. It is so nice to go cut again without spending all the time fixing! Chuck