$300,000.00 agri- instability welfare to the rich cheques.

[farmaholic]

Somehow I feel some people think that its the farmers fault the governments of nations see fit to protect food production, the most vital commodity. For heavens sakes its not widgets!!! I seriously don't beleive any farmer is farming for the subsidy--THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU MONEY!!!!

Once sound management practices and fiscal responsibility are out of the way, when disaster strikes, its not a question of good farmer poor farmer. But for those who consistantly underperform in good times and bad because of financial or production mismanagement whose fault is that? So if their numbers aren't working anymore, whose fault is that. The sad part is when responsible farmers get a series of disasters that drive their numbers into the toilet, that is a shame. But some would let them sink because it never stopped raining or the hot sun never stopped shining and their crops burnt or there was an early frost, you pick the event. Everyone else suckling on the Ag Tit wants to be paid but the fellow assuming all the risk is supposed to stand out there with his bare ass in the wind subject to what ever comes his way.

I am glad I live in a country that values its food producers.

[sumdumguy]

These low interest rates are supportive also. I
hear young people talking about what the old
guys are costing. They are giving you all their
money to use for nothing. Governments have
offered up their comfortable retirements to
support this ag bubble along with new trucks,
new cars, new boats. This is very dangerous. It
happened before. Land prices sky rocketed in
1979-80. We thought it would go on forever and
then came 20 % interest rates - oops. The
banks kept jacking the rates everyday. Lines of
credit were crippling. Today the lines of credit are
humungous.

Sorry, I derailed the Agri-Stability discussion, but
I suggest farmers not get to cozy with cheap
money and if you do, dont look to the taxpayer to
bail you out.

[hedgehog]

in the uk, the biggest recievers of farm subsidy are the queen and prince charles, since they own about a million acres between them, they get several million pounds each.
the duke of westminster gets millions too.

[hobbyfrmr]

Farmaholic, a few posts up WELL SAID. Choose
the enterprise you want, livestock,
grains,herbs,veggies organic, not organic
whatever is your best passion, shut the f&&k up,
lean into it, do your best and be happy with your
results. the world is not fair, life is not fair and
equal so just get at the best life we can make with
what we can learn as we go along.

[jackspratwhynot]

There are those who have come to depend on government payments to the farming sector. As has been said; that is a very dangerous plank in anyone's farm plan.

As with all other possibilities ; it is not a matter of if those payments can be depended on for an indefinate time; but the real imminent question is when they will be cut off or drasically curtailed.

And those payments will be cut because they come from other taxpayers money and increasing debt or dipping into public "heritage funds" or reserves being used up by even those governments "lucky" enough to be in power where growth is much better than the rest of the world.

Is our economy not based on near zero interest rates; using up resources as quickly as possible; expansion and population growth to support a large aging poulation; and refusal to accept or prepare for what appears to be on the horizon?

[jackspratwhynot]

You can always see the fear in the eyes of those defending their entitlements. And while the "status quo" may be extended for a period of time though spending money on advertising; using scare tactics; appealing to popular personal interests; secrecy; accusations; dirty tricks and tactics available in everyone's arsenal. Do you remember examples such as the CWB debate; or reliance on gov't handouts; or voter apathy; or assasination attempts or torture; examples of intolerance and conflicts thoughout the world and at home.

It wouldn't hurt everyone to watch at least one episode of a "Michael Moore" type documentary. or maybe even the documentary about Cuba's Fidel Castro. That one is playing on Hulu Plus (an Internet subscription service that costs $8.00 per month and has a few lifetime supplies of practically every tv networks you've heard of, plus another hundred network video sources you don't yet recognize.). There is also a free version of Hulu; and the only challenge is to decide that you wish to change you current internet access point to other than your present location in Canada.
There are options to do just that; either costing nothing but for tolerating some advertising; or else spending something like $4 per month for a service such as "UnblockUs"
Talk about expanding your horizons beyond the local coffee shop. Maybe thats what most people need to expand their self centered universe.

[riders2010]

The facts are that the program is paying out to people that do not or should not need the money. Stonepicker you had 5 good years then one little blip and you got a payout, good for you did you need it? Now what if you did not get a payout this year and say the next 3 or 4 out of 5 years and you were stuck in a weather pattern where you just could not grow a decent crop what then? What would your response be then if you had those 3 or 4 bad years and recieved nothing yet someone 50 miles away with bumper crops has a bad year and gets a big payout and comes bids you out of land rented?

It's not just about subsidies the problem is who is getting it!

Part of the problem here is that one persons disaster is not a disaster to another. We are talking about not being able to seed or seeding and getting nothing that is a disaster. To some a disaster is getting #2 wheat instead of #1, I'd love that kinda disaster.

Under this system our government is using tax money to provide money to rich farmers in order that they take out farmers who are in the areas experiencing several years of weather disaster. There is a problem with that.

[sumdumguy]

Jacksprat, you are bang- on.

How can we believe that this myth is
sustainable? What a panacea! Free money so
we can get into debt that we will never pay off
because we will use any profit as leverage for
more debt. Let's ratchet up until we blow up!

Maybe its just a sign of the times. Never be
happy with what you've got. My house needs a
reno every three years, my car needs to be a
Lexus, I need to suck up all the available land
because I can get a government guaranteed
profit level.

What ever happened to mate for life, love for life,
save for life, provide for life, stand on my own
two feet for life? I hope I taught my children that
you pay for what you buy with money you have
earned by working and saving.

Sound old- fashioned? Just my recipe for sound
sleep.

What is your recipe?

[riders2010]

Actually bgmb this is the most corrupt, bureacratic, unresponsive, unfair program ever created.

It has no clearly defined goal other than the intended or not one of providing tax money for one farmer to take advantage of other farmers uncontrolled weather problems.

Nobody is watching what is on the forms and even if they were, a million and one ways for malipulation to occur.

If you like I could list some? And then there is the shit that happens even without corruption.

You have 100000 bushels in the bin and as "POOR" manager do not sell as prices flop. No worries those same 100000 in the bin at the end of year low price now trigger a payout. Gov money supporting an idiot. But then again maybe not an idiot because prices rise next year after so sells for the high price plus collected tax money. Of course again you would have to be rich enough to store the grain so naturally that suits this program. That is not a maybe that actully happenned.

And some people worry unemployed people are getting welfare? what a joke.

[bgmb]

Riders just curious how do you and your buddy know these guys got 300,000 bucks.

coffee shop? did they put an ad in the paper to let everyone know? or did they phone you up to rub it in?