Farmin'

[slobber]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

That is a stretch. Also, this bumper crop will hurt the idiot farmers. The idiot farmers sell across the scales and don't forward contract. The rich will get richer (read: sd's dad).

[RickRampus]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

all of our CRP that was up for renewal made it in
 

[Emo EMAW]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

That is a stretch. Also, this bumper crop will hurt the idiot farmers. The idiot farmers sell across the scales and don't forward contract. The rich will get richer (read: sd's dad).

How is it a stretch?  More and more ground being farmed, less water than before, similar (non-existent) soil conservation practices.  Could happen.

[Fedor]

I hear no-till is the wave of the future.  What do all of you sod-busters think?

[CNS]

does this mean that beef will become cheaper???

Bacon is up like a [redacted]!

[slobber]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

That is a stretch. Also, this bumper crop will hurt the idiot farmers. The idiot farmers sell across the scales and don't forward contract. The rich will get richer (read: sd's dad).

How is it a stretch?  More and more ground being farmed, less water than before, similar (non-existent) soil conservation practices.  Could happen.

Minimum-till
No-till
Strip-till
Ridge-till
Fallow cropping
Narrow row planting
Chemical fallow
Inter-row cropping
Conservation buffers

Also, I haven't seen a plowed field in probably 25 years. The plow was probably the single largest man made contribution to the dust bowl. Farming marginal ground was a distant also ran.

Edit: Added Ridge-till

[Rage Against the McKee]

I could see how low grain prices would influence cattle growers to increase the size of their herd, but I think it will take some time for us to see the benefit of lower-priced beef at the store.

This is just a wild guess, though.

[slobber]

I hear no-till is the wave of the future.  What do all of you sod-busters think?

We started no-till farming in the 80's. I actually think the continual adaptations on tillage will land us very firmly in a minimum/strip tillage environment.

[slobber]

I could see how low grain prices would influence cattle growers to increase the size of their herd, but I think it will take some time for us to see the benefit of lower-priced beef at the store.

This is just a wild guess, though.

Not a wild guess. Cheap abundant feed always increases cattle production.

[michigancat]

They still plow down by the Oklahoma border. But less and less every year. LOL @ saying tillage and soil conservation hasn't changed since the dust bowl.

[slobber]

They still plow down by the Oklahoma border. But less and less every year. LOL @ saying tillage and soil conservation hasn't changed since the dust bowl.

Yeah, 25 years is an exaggeration. People still plow up their terraces (for soil conservation) and there are still some wheat farmers that think they have to turn it under (idiot farmers who like to burn diesel).

[sys]

I could see how low grain prices would influence cattle growers to increase the size of their herd, but I think it will take some time for us to see the benefit of lower-priced beef at the store.

This is just a wild guess, though.

Not a wild guess. Cheap abundant feed always increases cattle production.

herds are way down though.   and people will have to think about saving/buying a bunch of heifers to build back up.  maybe you'll see more dairy steers raised, but i don't know if feed is that cheap yet.

another thing to consider, if the above speculation about marginal land being planted is correct, grazing land is probably down and more expensive.

[slobber]

I could see how low grain prices would influence cattle growers to increase the size of their herd, but I think it will take some time for us to see the benefit of lower-priced beef at the store.

This is just a wild guess, though.

Not a wild guess. Cheap abundant feed always increases cattle production.

herds are way down though.   and people will have to think about saving/buying a bunch of heifers to build back up.  maybe you'll see more dairy steers raised, but i don't know if feed is that cheap yet.

another thing to consider, if the above speculation about marginal land being planted is correct, grazing land is probably down and more expensive.

Yeah, it will take some time. Also, hay prices are pretty high in some areas. Probably need an ag econ type in here to tell us what the models say.

[star seed 7]

I don't understand a damn word of this thread 

[Emo EMAW]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

That is a stretch. Also, this bumper crop will hurt the idiot farmers. The idiot farmers sell across the scales and don't forward contract. The rich will get richer (read: sd's dad).

How is it a stretch?  More and more ground being farmed, less water than before, similar (non-existent) soil conservation practices.  Could happen.

Minimum-till
No-till
Strip-till
Ridge-till
Fallow cropping
Narrow row planting
Chemical fallow
Inter-row cropping
Conservation buffers

Also, I haven't seen a plowed field in probably 25 years. The plow was probably the single largest man made contribution to the dust bowl. Farming marginal ground was a distant also ran.

Edit: Added Ridge-till

Thank you dobs for letting me troll you into posting instances where subsidies DIRECTLY to farmers (as part of the Farm Bill) have been beneficial.  I apologize for using you as my pawn.  My work here is done.

[EllRobersonisInnocent]

I don't understand a damn word of this thread 

You and me both. No idea what these hayseeds are talking about

[Fedor]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

That is a stretch. Also, this bumper crop will hurt the idiot farmers. The idiot farmers sell across the scales and don't forward contract. The rich will get richer (read: sd's dad).

How is it a stretch?  More and more ground being farmed, less water than before, similar (non-existent) soil conservation practices.  Could happen.

Minimum-till
No-till
Strip-till
Ridge-till
Fallow cropping
Narrow row planting
Chemical fallow
Inter-row cropping
Conservation buffers

Also, I haven't seen a plowed field in probably 25 years. The plow was probably the single largest man made contribution to the dust bowl. Farming marginal ground was a distant also ran.

Edit: Added Ridge-till

Thank you dobs for letting me troll you into posting instances where subsidies DIRECTLY to farmers (as part of the Farm Bill) have been beneficial.  I apologize for using you as my pawn.  My work here is done.

Emo just Keyser Soze'd all of us up in this mother rough rider.

[EMAWican]

The recent widespread rains the last 3 months have helped future cattle numbers more than lower corn prices. Back in January, the cattle inventory in the US was the lowest since 1952.  It will take some time (2-3 years probs with prime conditions) to increase numbers.  With the ridiculously high prices that replacement heifers are at currently, it looks like the majority of ranchers/hayseeds are optimistic.   

Most feedlots in Texas/Oklahoma panhandle are half-full, and Cargill idled their Plainview, TX facility back in February.  And IMO there's a record number of Holsteins/dairy cattle being used as fats, which further illustrates how strained the meat market is. 

Good thing us EMAWers are     

[sys]

good info, emawican.  thanks.

[slobber]

One thing that is ridiculous is the drastic cuts in the acreage available for the CRP program.  Grain prices have risen over the years, but the CRP subsidies can't keep pace, and farmers are putting marginal lands into production.  If this keeps up we'll see another dust bowl in our lifetime.

That is a stretch. Also, this bumper crop will hurt the idiot farmers. The idiot farmers sell across the scales and don't forward contract. The rich will get richer (read: sd's dad).

How is it a stretch?  More and more ground being farmed, less water than before, similar (non-existent) soil conservation practices.  Could happen.

Minimum-till
No-till
Strip-till
Ridge-till
Fallow cropping
Narrow row planting
Chemical fallow
Inter-row cropping
Conservation buffers

Also, I haven't seen a plowed field in probably 25 years. The plow was probably the single largest man made contribution to the dust bowl. Farming marginal ground was a distant also ran.

Edit: Added Ridge-till

Thank you dobs for letting me troll you into posting instances where subsidies DIRECTLY to farmers (as part of the Farm Bill) have been beneficial.  I apologize for using you as my pawn.  My work here is done.

Wait, what just happened? Have I ever said that all farm subsidies are bad? Also, farm subsidies are not responsible for all of the conservation measures I mentioned, or is that part of your elaborate scheme and I am continuing to play right into your hand?

[Dugout DickStone]

I don't understand a damn word of this thread 

I love farmer talk.  Big time

[slobber]

I don't understand a damn word of this thread 

I love farmer talk.  Big time

It's really great, because even if you know next to nothing, you can listen and follow along on a deep farmer conversation between two really intelligent farmers. Can you do that when two brain surgeons are talking to each other about brain surgeony stuff? Nope. Farmers 1, Brain Surgeons 0.

[Emo EMAW]

Well I can't find the thread so I'm just going to post this anecdote here.

This past weekend while hunting quail down in SE KS, this dude was telling me how he has pecan trees and only has them for the crop insurance.  This is his 5th year with them and he's profited on the insurance the first 4 years because they never made pecans.  But this year he's annoyed because the trees did make pecans and now the insurance folks are going to make him pick them up, so he has to scramble to find machinery to do this.  These guys are all EMAJ of course.  Despicable.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Well I can't find the thread so I'm just going to post this anecdote here.

This past weekend while hunting quail down in SE KS, this dude was telling me how he has pecan trees and only has them for the crop insurance.  This is his 5th year with them and he's profited on the insurance the first 4 years because they never made pecans.  But this year he's annoyed because the trees did make pecans and now the insurance folks are going to make him pick them up, so he has to scramble to find machinery to do this.  These guys are all EMAJ of course.  Despicable.

That guy sounds like a huge dumbass.

[raquetcat]

Well I can't find the thread so I'm just going to post this anecdote here.

This past weekend while hunting quail down in SE KS, this dude was telling me how he has pecan trees and only has them for the crop insurance.  This is his 5th year with them and he's profited on the insurance the first 4 years because they never made pecans.  But this year he's annoyed because the trees did make pecans and now the insurance folks are going to make him pick them up, so he has to scramble to find machinery to do this.  These guys are all EMAJ of course.  Despicable.

That guy sounds like a huge dumbass.

I picked pecans on my grandpa's farm in the SEK when I was little, but only a couple pounds, and he didn't take insurance out on them