Farmland Ownership Surveys

[sumdumguy]

I worked at farm income programs from 1991-2011 and saw the other side of agriculture where year after year there was no way to pencil a profit. The only hope was that you could catch an updraft in special crops. Farmers aged and all the kids were off to Alberta and other lucrative occupations. Then the stars lined up for agriculture with the high oil prices, ethanol, good weather and high prices, coupled with a lot of cheap money and land like gold, silver, houses was inflated. Who knows how long these conditions will continue? In 1980, land around us got up over $1000/acre, even $1500, then slumped back to $375. Land means different things to different people. There have been good times in the last few years and remember on Agriville, we are talking to the survivors, some die-hards, farming addicts even. We don't hear the other side on here - the ones that succumbed, and there are many.

[biglentil]

Most have it all wrong the value of land is intrinsic value or its productive value. It land prices are 100000 an acre in paper dollars the lands intrinsic value remains the same. In such a scenario and a farmer sells out to a big investor his wealth does not increase one bit. Paper money has zero intrinsic value and generates next to zero interest. Unless that farmer can take that paper and quickly convert it into a productive asset with the same or higher intrinsic value then he has lost. Not only he has lost but also all his family lineage to come in the future. The problem is the large landowners are not going to sell back to the little guys to allow them to get a foot in the door. The parcels get bigger and bigger until a few billionaires own it all. Remember there were many that came before us to allow us to make a living off the land. It's not just about you even if you like to think made it on your own. Someone likely passed multigenerational information to you, lent you a tractor, helped you with a breakdown.... Many made big sacrifices to come here and settle this land so we could enjoy the privilege of land ownership. We must protect this asset for future generations of our families.

[riders2010]

That's so true. What the foreign investment thing did was mask the reality that the risk of farming due to weather and shitty prices manipulated by the market told a very bleak reality of the farmers position.

And what a joke the current govs fed and prov tried to take credit for higher land values by getting rid of wheat board.

I can't believe people don't see what buddies of the gov did to farmers. Government buddies Formed investment companies paid relatively little for land because the programs were shit then wall opened up foreigners. Why that isn't investigated for insider corruption is beyond me.

I m surprised so many of you that value what your land and farm means to you and your community
Don't give a shit about the future of it.

Land values should have gone up without foreigners it didn't because of he risk involved that is not factored into price and that's not just here in canada. The only difference is other governments support their farmers risk.

[Flatlander]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3075980/Farmer-turns-275MILLION-sell-land-housing-Father-two-says-doing-massive-disfavour-community-took-money-ran.html

Two loonies$ to a pound£

[grrrr]

In the last three years we have had two land grabbers in this community. One has spent over 10 million dollars buying almost everything that comes available. He has never farmed and never will. Over 70 years old and is a real shyster by all accounts. The other is an American who is only here 6 months of the year. One of those numbered company set-ups. He buys everything else. Out come the track hoes and cats and ditchers and to hell with everyone else. Not once, ever has either of these two characters ever helped out the community in any way. Never did and never will. Is this the future we want for the next generation?

[SASKFARMER3]

Most of the land that was purchased by out of country on paper Canadians wasn't seeded this year in our area. The land was tilled for two rounds the field the rest is weeds. So one F$&k of a mess right beside a bumper crop so all I have to say is WTF.
A Very nice sign advertises on the property looking for more land.

[Rareearth]

Grrr you identified the trend.
Are they Huterites?

[grrrr]

Not Hutterites