Are grain farmers better off when it floods ?

[agchat]

Well, I hate to say it, but talking to a guy this morning, and could not agree more. If your a grain farmer, and this wipeout occurs at least its over. These poor cattle guys I feel for them. Cattle stranded on tiny islands some do not even know were cattle are. Even when they are rounded up, what do they eat ? Where do you get feed now in some areas. Some pastures will drain to some extent. I lost around 25 percent pasture in 2011 and that was a concern in itself, but to loose 70-80 percent. The financial strain on the grain end is going to be huge, but your land is still there. The cattle guys, well it could be totally over for good. Years of building gone in a weekend. I wonder if city people even realize any of this? The beef, and bread will always be in the store for them to pick up.

[hobbyfrmr]

City people don't care about agriculture...period.
I used to be insulted by this sentiment. Then I finally realized I don't care much about the city people either. Example is, I don't care about the (place any business enterprise here) flooring store guy who closed his doors because it did not work. He/she took his chances at starting a business in hopes to make good money for his family.
It's just life, most often it doesn't go as anticipated/planned. We are all just working to feed ourselves and seldom have time to consider the efforts of others.
I do sympathize with farmers and ranchers who carry a cast amount of risk, but don't know enough to suggest any type of constructive solution.

[mbdog]

agchat...the short answer to your question is no.
Hobby...While I agree somewhat with your assessment, your post suggests farmers don't care about the broader economy and/or haven't tried to be part of the solution. This is far from a fair statement.

[Hopalong]

Perhaps different in the past when many larger sized farms had mixed cattle and grain operations.
Recent trend is to specialise in one or the other.
Would think that extreme wet or drought can be equally devastating to either.
Think in past, grain operations used to get more government support and it is still that way to some extent.

[bucket]

As a general thought it would be nice to be paid world prices for what we grow.

Does anyone find it odd that our resources are on world price whereas food is kept on a cheap food policy.

Oil has a price equivalent any where in the world.

Wheat has a world price but the domestic price is made up by collusionary families/thugs.

[LEP]

Bucket, western canadian oil price is deeply discounted due to transportation problems, hence the urgency for keystone and other pipeline projects.

They face the same issues we do with being landlocked.

[bucket]

Lep

Maybe so but you wouldn't know it by the pump prices.