Oversold Canola

[AlbertaFarmer5]

And as for complaining about our lot in life, I also work in the oil industry, as DID most of my neighbors. It is ugly. I may not have a lot of sympathy for many of these folks considering the lifestyle they were living, but many people have been a year or more with NO work. Houses are being foreclosed, toys are all gone, school enrollment is way down. Those who are working are getting half in many cases. It is affecting every business, retail, restaurants etc.

Farming looks pretty good right now. I'll take good crops and mediocre prices over terrible crops and tremendous prices any day. We all have the option of growing something else, or working for someone else, and it seems we don't take that option, so we must be doing OK.

[fjlip]

Or just QUIT and get off the low valued part of the chain...nothing will EVER change, good times were few shit times were many. That is from the past 45 years, however young guns are WAY sharper, more informed than we were and they can make money any way, beat the big businesses! Just watch them, impressive!

[farmaholic]

Albertafarmer5: I am not the most "worldly" person you will ever talk to but I doubt there are many businesses that suffer as many "resets" as primary ag production......things must always be getting out of control in primary grain production.

Ah **** it....it's only food.

[4GFarms]

So Albertafarmer5, what was your reason for working in the oil field industry? Was farming not covering the expenses you had or the lifestyle you wanted? I never liked the way the oil field situation was going, it was kinda like grain, to much so the price goes down. Same as farming so dont say the guys that have not worked for over a year are hurting. There is probably some type of job that they could do but it probably doesn't pay remotely close to what the guys were getting or have the perks. The extended EI benefit may also keep them from taking work that is below there pay requirement. To each their own I guess! I think we need some leadership regarding the whole ag industry, there is no need for us the farmer to take the amount of risk we do. How much money do we throw in the ground with a hope or prayer that you get a crop. Most years you do. I understand the supply and demand side of markets, I dont have the right answers but we need to put our heads together and figure it out. The farmer first from now on!!

[ajl]

Your mostly right AB5. The only reason oil was $100+ and canola was 15 was due to reckless government money printing. Neither should have happened. People over invested and now we are on the backside of that curve like in the 80's. Should have known that was going to happen. Farmers can cut back more than they think and don't have to be a victim. Do not darken the door at the dealership. Look for cheaper inputs, cut rates and summer fallow. I wish for dry weather one day again soon so summer fallow would pay.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

So Albertafarmer5, what was your reason for working in the oil field industry? Was farming not covering the expenses you had or the lifestyle you wanted? I never liked the way the oil field situation was going, it was kinda like grain, to much so the price goes down. Same as farming so dont say the guys that have not worked for over a year are hurting. There is probably some type of job that they could do but it probably doesn't pay remotely close to what the guys were getting or have the perks. The extended EI benefit may also keep them from taking work that is below there pay requirement. To each their own I guess! I think we need some leadership regarding the whole ag industry, there is no need for us the farmer to take the amount of risk we do. How much money do we throw in the ground with a hope or prayer that you get a crop. Most years you do. I understand the supply and demand side of markets, I dont have the right answers but we need to put our heads together and figure it out. The farmer first from now on!!

4G farms, I ask myself the same question a lot. I hadn't worked off farm for about 7 years, and I wasn't looking for a job, but it found me, it's close to home, very flexible, I can often sit in the tractor and work from the smart phone, and sounded like a good idea in the middle of winter.

I suppose it is the same reason I used to work in the industry, to earn capital to keep buying land. Making a good living farming farming, but tough to buy land in this environment. I expect there will be opportunities again in the next few years, so this should put me into position. I've always said that I wouldn't subsidize the farm with off farm income, or spend my hours working away, just to buy shiny machinery, but, I'll happily take that money to invest in land.

As for my lifestyle, you won't find a more frugal person( my wife would have different words to describe this "quality"). Any off farm income I've ever made has gone into expanding the farm. Which I suspect baffles my neighbors when they see what I drive etc.

As for EI, most of the people I know are independent contractors, so no EI. And they are looking elsewhere for work, including working for me at the farm. Part of the trouble is, when you are a drilling consultant, no one wants to hire you for $20/hour knowing that you will be leaving as soon as the big bucks return. Not sure how some of them are making ends meet right now, even those who live modestly, still hard to buy groceries with no paycheque for 1 or 2 or more years. For every big shot who spent like a drunken sailor and boasted twice as loud, there are 10 more responsible family guys/girls who were grateful to have a job, and lived within their means. That is who I feel sorry for.

I understand risk, I have no crop insurance of any type, and just watched a small hail storm and big rainstorm this afternoon. A risk I am willing to take. With the heavily subsidized crop insurance available in this country, no one can complain about the risk they take. I know farmers in Russia, with no insurance, and no government support, they don't take risks, can't afford to.

[riders2010]

You must have a different crop insurance than we have here in saskatxhewan. Because it does not cover the risk at all
I m still using 4 years of Total flooded out near zero yields from 10 years ago used in a formula to insure canola seed and every other expense double or triple since then including thanks to mr freeride Wally triple land rent.
We've seen the industry manipulate grain prices to basically write their own profits. Zero transparency thanks to Stevie wonderless. Price of canary seed is prime example no one knows what the buyers are actually willing to pay because that's a closed door deal between the industry players here and there. Trust us!!! Ya right.

Aided by policy for the big industry players against farm families. Freerides buddies have benefited from the destruction of the farm programs I. The land companies buying cheap from desperate farmers and selling high to foreigners again a policy of freerides


Oil workers laid off are making 25 to 30 percent more in their ei than I'd estimate 50 to 75% of the hourly wage population.
And who s paying for that when he world price is what it is and look at the buklshit price at the pumps. Which I have to ask when Freeride is crying about no money to run the province aren't they getting their share out of the distorted dysfunctional price at the pumps?

We are well over billion dollars I deficit and that does not count the countless projects not on he books it were started and some finished and not paid for.

But hey what the hell we don't expect more or better obviously as some friends of people were made millionaires by a fixed land deal with the help of gov official and freeride says that's ok so the sheep say baaaah baaaah yes king Wally that's ok. Hahahah what morons. Jmo jmo jmo

[grassfarmer]

For every big shot who spent like a drunken sailor and boasted twice as loud, there are 10 more responsible family guys/girls who were grateful to have a job, and lived within their means.

More like 10 of the former to one of the latter in my experience.