Combines Farmer ARE the reason for low grain prices

lar, Although your post refers to an idea that on the surface appears attractive, I have to point out a basic problem: It is a national security priority that is unchangeable that food be plentiful - and all nations strive for this situation. The basic structure of our ag sector in the long run, is a guaranteed no win for the farmer. Our individual decisions(what is best for us - the Micro economics of the individual farmer),is guaranteed counter productive to all farmers as a whole(The Macro view of our industry.) This is reality 101 and get used to it. We must use our political clout as best we can to get as much help as we can from the farm bill etc., and don't apologize when cashing your next FSA check. We are servants to the national interests of food security, and that is an honorable roll for us to play. It certainly isn't what I had in mind when I started farming, but we are not exempt from change.

I tend to agree here RR. Problem in China is not a communist problem nor is Mid East a religious war supported by religious zealots. Osama cornered the drug - poppy trade, thus the money , thus the food. Want to go to bed with a full tummy - be a taliband. Reds in China having same problem keeping the minorities down that don't want to be reds. N Korea same deal. Control the food, control the people. Ever see a bunch of potbellied, out of shape middle-aged, well feed terroristIJ Some day maybe the US govt will realize it is better and cheaper to ship free food rather than JDAM bombs, cruse missels, and other smart (IJ) weapons at an average of a million bucks a bang.

At the risk of stating the obvious you are the problem. It's amazing how insular people are when their own percieved self interest is involved.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION - MONSANTO. GET USED TO lOAN RATE ON FARM PRODUCTS. JUST HEARD SOUTH AMERICA GROWING 13% MORE BEANS THAN THE PAST. AROUND THE AREA GUYS SOlD CORN @ $2.10 THEN WITH lDP'S, AND OTHER FARM PAYMENTS REACHED $2.65- $2.75 PRICES, SO HOW BAD SI ITIJ GRANTED THE lARGE SCAlE DROUGHT IS WHAT WE NEEDED BUT IT NEVER HAPPENS IN OTHER AREAS, IT'S AlWAYS MY AND YOUR AREA THAT ARE HIT, lIVE WITH THAT, I'll TAKE THE FUll BINS. THINK WHERE WE WOUlD BE IF IOWA, NEB. AND OTHER lARGE CORN PRODUCING STATES WOUlD HAVE HAD BUMPER CROPS INSTEAD OF AVERAGE TO ABOVE. lARGER lDP'S, YES, BUT NO DOUBT MORE PRESSURE ON YOUR MARKETING ABIlITIES. MARKETING AND CROP INSURANCE STRATAGIES TIED TOGEATHER MIGHT lOOK GOOD IN A BANKERS EYES. MAYBE ONE OF THE ONlY GOOD THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE 9-11 ATTACKS IS THAT FUEl PRICES CAME DOWN AND FORCED FERTIlIZER INPUTS THAT WAY AlSO, $110-$125 28% PRICES THIS YEAR COMPARED TO $150-$185 A YEAR AGO. I AGREE THAT IT'S BIG BUSINESS BUT MORE IMPORTANTlY BIG UNIONS WITH FAT CATS lIVING IN GlASS HOUSES THAT HAVE IRRITATED MOST OF US. UNIONS WERE GOOD IN THE START WITH BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS, BUT THEY ARE BRINGING THE NATION'S PEOPlE DOWN IN FACT. lET'S GO HARDER TO THE CORN AND SOY BOARDS AND EVEN OTHER BOARDS, AND lET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. I'VE AlWAYS SAID THAT IF THIS IS THE BEST THEY CAN DElIVER THEN GET RID OF All CHECK-OFF'S. APPEARS NOW WEATHER YOU VOTE DOWN CHECK-OFF'S WE'll STIll HAVE THEM. OUR AG SEC. HAS PROVEN HERSElF TO BE AGRIBUSINESS PRO AND FARMER "SO-SO". lET A NUKE HIT IN THE MIDWEST AND SEE WHERE HER NEXT MEAl COMES FROM AND THE PRICE ON THE TICKET WIll FlOOR HER IF SHE'S NOT EATING IT THERE AT THE TIME IT HAPPENS. YOU AND I (JOE TAXPAYER) WIll EVEN PROBABlY PICK UP THAT TAB AFTER WERE All GONE. lET'EM AUDIT ME NOW. I STIll lOVE RURAl lIFE AND THE U.S.A. HAVE A WONDERFUl HOllIDAY SEASON -TOM

lets see, insular, ad-nauseum, and indignant. Gee I had to break out the Webster's. One cannot strip away the habiliments of our policies without reveling a progression of inchoate decisions relegated to indemnify the constituents of the policy makers; thus provoking objurgations congruent to your remarks. Hey we didn't get here all at once. What does one do with a run-a-way train without killing the passengers and engineers and transportation system in stopping the beastIJ It ain't easy or it would have been done. Since it is difficult we ugly Americans have to have a life threat'ning crises before we fix anything.

Tom: To one part of your post about the checkoff_Soy_Corn Growers Associations. I agree they are not perfect, but they are the first contacts that are sought out when policy questions are decided, and there would be a great void of representation if we did not have them. And remember that the checkoff(at least in soybeans) cannot be used for political purposes. It is cost effective in that farmers involved in the boards are all volunteering their time to do this. If you do not like what they do - get involved and provide your input. The world is run by those who show up_speak up.

tbran and aussie have lost me at the local bakery! I went to get my websters, but appears someone had spilled coffee all over the pages and I can't open it to explore the fine words spoken to the above posts. Would someone please be so kind as to translate the eloquent use of the english language. I've been watching Fox News so much about Osama, I think english use to be my mother tongue, but has been replaced to understand the Afgan language.

Aussie: let's take the analysis one step further - over producing is one part of the puzzle - it is the unused inventory that is the more direct link to the price discovery system of the grain trade. As we seem to be finding more land worldwide coming into production (even at what we percieve as low prices) we need to concentrate more on finding new uses and markets. Deliberately lowering production to fit supply_demand may be fair game in the General Motors board room, but history has shown it has no place in production agriculture. We would have lost many times more farmers over the last 20 years if there hadn't been the help we have had.

Naturally I have to agree with Aussie.We have to stand on our own two feet here no payouts no setaside programs. A simple question why can't you farm without Govt helpIJ Oz.

Congratulations,Ive never seen such fluent BS anywhere!!!! Price is determined at the point at which the demand and supply curves bisect.Without the imposition of tarriff or subsidy this is a perfect relationship. Your noble cause has no place in this relationship,but is merely an excuse for you to feel better about lobbying your govt to increase the very handouts that encourage oversupply.Feel good while it lasts - it can't continue forever.Just my thoughts as a fellow Gleaner owner and Aussie farmer.