Combines Plan B and paint

n*%^@!%^n$n^)and*and^%%^**$$n@ That's so.americas view

I havn't sold a single piece of equip to s. amer. We have repossed a bunch of equipment form n. american farmers though. 42% of the net cash receipts for American farmers came from the Govt in form of direct payment. We could not deliver all the equipment we could sell if corn were close to $4 and beans at 7$ and wheat at $4.! I could imagine what AGCO's response would be. When Brazil or Argentina subsidises-- AGCO sells equip to them. When they don't - bad day at the office.

and yes I know I spelled repossseessed wrong...geez

We are stuck in the production rut. We all are working to produce. large company's like GM, GE, Ford and others all have production plants, but production is COST to them. They market to make money, we produce and get what they give us. The big companies would be in the same shape as us if they ran that way, and they will not be caught in that mode. We have to get better at having a say in the marketing of our production. I do like the painted combines, wish I could market my goods well enough to afford one.......

I would like to know the impact this would have on small livestock farmers that buy corn. Back in 95-96 the high corn price put many out of farming. I think that is one thing that gave us lower prices now. I know soymeal would cost less under Plan B, but it might not offset the corn price.

I'll go on record to endorse Plan B. Here in the western part of the corn belt we are not quite up to a 50-50 rotation yet but are moving in that direction very quickly. Plan B probably won't get 25% less corn acres but even 10% would move the market. And I think we could see a shift of more corn acres to beans, not necessarily because of Plan B but because of economics. The inputs are less for beans and with the high fertilizer prices it just may happen, anyway. I'll also endorse the paint. I was told by a dealer that the galvanize on some combines would discolor at different rates. It was OK if a customer had one that stayed nice and bright but the customer that bought a new machine and it turned dark wasn't very happy. So the paint should make them all the same. Merry Christmas