Land prices

[bgmb]

The trouble with Hutterite land is that it never comes on the market again. I don't think we should place ownership restrictions on huts though. We do however need to crack down on the huts business structure though. I think how it works is they have a tax return for every member on the colony and then they "donate" all their earnings back to the church. I don't think it is a fair playing field in that respect.

[BTO_farmalll]

Yer Dad Was a Smart Man,

Land Has Never and Will Never Pencil On Its Own, No Matter What Time Thru History, If'n it Did, Everyone Would Be Buying!!!!!!!!

And I Also Get a Kick Outta Everyone Tinkin Deys Land is Actually Increasing in Value, Ha, The Only Thing Increasing Is The Devaluation of The Almighty Dollar!!!!!! The Debt Was Never Meant TO Be Paid Back!!!!!!! The Money To Pay The Interest is Not in Existence, It Never WAS!!!!!! Hence The Endless Amount of Debt, That Just Keeps Building, And Building, And Building!!!!!! When She Finally All Comes To a Head, May Not Be Tomorrow, er The Next Day, er a Year From Now, But It WILL One Day, And When It Does, That Dirt Yous Standing On Aint Gunna Matter!!!!!!!!!!

[sumdumguy]

BTO, I wonder what you mean by debt coming to a head. I may be dumb yeh, but this coming to a head has been predicted for generations.

[hobbyfrmr]

Don't start talking all crazy about growing crops without inputs. You need to maximize inputs in order to maximize the chance of high yeilds. volume will get you through times of lower prices and/or lower quality.
The big efficient high input high yeilding farms in this area seem to be quite successful, and pay high purchase prices and rents. They grow a lot of grain. You can't pay the market high prices for land and grow mediocre crops, then sell them for lacklustre prices for very long.

[SASKFARMER3]

Their was no broker the owner is a multi millionaire. He owns a billion dollar company. No broker, why would you need one?

[farmaholic]

You're right, a fellow should likely stick to the high input low value produce model. In the past some of the local organic farms never seeded a crop, or did it just look that way, its can be hard to tell. Then when they finally put up the white flag no one wants the land and it is cheap for the conventionals to buy.

Just kidding, I'm trying to give you more ammunition to try and convince everyone that the organic model doesn't work and how successful your BIG neighbors are. You wouldn't want to over produce(no pun intended) a niche market with a bunch of new organic farmers and ruin it for those already doing it.

[hobbyfrmr]

Farmaholic, the unfortunate part is, the contrast is so severe that it becomes an "all or nothing" decision. It has been scientifically proven that fertilizer and herbicides improve yeilds. It seems like it's a game of protecting margins by purchasing inputs up to 9 months ahead of time. i am serious, though, the big neighbors sprayers seldom stop through the growing season, but man they have grain bags and elevators full of production come November. Massive amounts of grain. They are buying and renting land all the time. as time goes by, they are gaining the assets and will have quite a lot of land at the end of their careers. Farming without the inputs would seriously slow down that agenda.

[grassfarmer]

"The trouble with Hutterite land is that it never comes on the market again"

bgmb, I've heard that comment before and I always find it a strange one. Is there some quaint law in Canada when you buy land that you agree to sell it again at a later date? In Europe we farmed some of the same land for at least 300 years, many farmers have farmed the land for longer. In a successful multi-generational model the land needn't be sold -ever - so why is the Hutterites doing that a problem?

[hobbyfrmr]

Actually, the Hutterites near me bought up about 10 quarters of the very best grain land, then they sold their beef herd, the outlying calving facilities/ranch and all the pasture which was about 40 quarters.
As described above, they dont always keep everything. As I think of it, my farm, my good friends farm, my brother in laws farm and few of my neighbors farms have been in the same family name for over 100 years.

[farmaholic]

Boy, intergenerational transfer opens another can of worms. A little off topic, yet not- how many times does the same family have to buy the same land and at what price. Some are lucky enough to inherit "Silver Platter Farms" and others not so much. With the current value of farmland an outright purchase of a modest size farm from the previous generation(aunt/uncle/parents) for it's fair market value is almost insurmountable. Another interesting twist...

I was lucky but I also built upon that base.

[bgmb]

I see your point grass farmer, Like I said above I dont think it would be fair to put ownership restrictions on Huts. But we should close the tax loop holes that give them an advantage over conventional business structures.

[SASKFARMER3]

Why do we farmers think we have to sell out to our next of kin to retire. Why not save a little and have a retirement when were done and give your replacement a leg up starting out. Let them have some control then if they show they are capable let them have the reins and move on. If you raised them right it should be easy if you gave them every toy or car or thing you might have a problem if you show work for what you have you maybe figured it out.
It works better than having couple million in the bank the day you are put in the hole because your to old to enjoy travel or cant get medical coverage to go or just to crippled up to get out of here. Because when they cover you up your no different than the guy who had nothing. Ok maybe the stone on top of you is nicer to keep you down.