Building a Sound Foundation for Agriculture

[parsley]

agstar, does consolidation meet YOUR goals?

For example, some people are interested in efficiency. Others is feeding the world. Oin making money. Others in a way of life. Others in owning all the land they can find to buy.

You don't seem to want the government reducing the number of farms, is this accurate?

If so, what role do you WANT to see gov't playing, in your operation? Any?

Are farmers better off WITH legislation or without it, according to what you would like?

Everybody jump in.

I ask, because I do not see coherent, nor consistent, nor relevent, nor well thought out policy coming forth from government.

They've practiced for years, but I have concluded, that farmers are much better off shedding them. But that is my observation.

What is yours? Pars

Do you WANT government

[parsley]

Another thing I observe, agstar, is that business is not sound business, if there is unsustainable spending and debt,and if taxpayer money is viewed as an entitlement. Pars

[agstar77]

Whether I care or not government will continue to be involved no matter what the political stripe. As the number of farms decrease more people are distanced from primary production. That means fewer people will relate to Ag. The infrastructure that now exists, roads schools, towns, etc will decay. I don't really know at what point efficiency decreases, but there is a law of diminishing returns. As a less intensive ag producer , I presume you would in favour of more farms using less inputs?

[parsley]

If farmers don't have enough backbone to express what they want and what they don't want farming to be, to become, certainly government will resort to their default...which is controlling farmers.

Why not? Look at the registered lobbyists who ask government to futher their ag goals. Hundreds of them.

Why do farmers shrug their shoulders and say the government will do it? What is the gain?

Even the questions on the farm census is an affront to decency let alone privacy, yet farmers shrug and comply. Conform. obey. Concede. Dither. Avoid. Hide under the bed.

I scratch my head. Pars

[SASKFARMER3]

I'm with you on this one!
It just amazes me how we have people lobbying for their business goals in farming. Furthering their profit from us yet as a group we cant agree on anything. AH their is the answer. See in France the farmers fall under a group where most if not all agree. Farmer 1st the rest second. In Canada its farmers last the rest 1st 2nd 3rd etc.
Till we all get on the same page the next generation will be doomed to work for the companies that are out there now, or new ones.

[parsley]

Following the money is important.

But understanding and analyzing and being aware of the policy put into place so that the money is able to FLOW, is the first essential.

For example, in Canada, Government money flows into agriculture,

But have you ever examined how much money flows into each province?

There is no reason why we cannot analyze.

Set up website groups and analyze and report back

Never mind flying somewhere and spending time planning some bloody lunch.

I mean digging for info.

Do you think any AV farmers would be willing to dedicate say, 2 hours per week, to actually digging, researching, googling, and jotting down what they have found? Pars

[charliep]

Are there industry agreed to outcomes in agriculture? If an industry doesn't know where it is going, will it ever get there?

An example from previous threads. Perennial cereals for human food. If this was an outcome based on resource use and sustainability, how would the industry achieve this objective?

[parsley]

Different goals will bring different outcomes. That's healthy.Holds promise. And also spreads risk. (Organics a failure but biotech successful or vice-versa)

BUT favoring/punishing:

---- different locales(mustard/Gravelbourg),
----or various regions(DA ghetto/heaven),
----or segments of industry(organic/biotech),
----or racial pockets(french/native/hutterites),
---through say, excessive/exemption taxation(tobacco),
----or punishing/rewardingthrough policy(buybacks),
---or through legislation(marketing boards),
----or through grants(branding)

All of these things cause the stoneboat to pull unevenly. And unfairly, thereby discouraging youth.

Pars

[charliep]

Perhaps it is the youth that need to pull the stoneboat. Don't know about you but sometimes get tired. Also find the youth have a different way of thinking and priorities based on their values (someone under 35 has a different approach to life, risk and business than someone over 55) and necessities (getting paid as quickly as possible because there is bill to pay, loans due and a family to feed).

[charliep]

Maybe a question for those of us somewhat older is I were starting my farming career today, what structure (or strong foundation) would I need to provide the highest probability of success in my farming career? Same question enters my mind work with new individuals who are starting their career in agriculture.