Future of farming.....

[cottonpicken]

Lets keep it all here guys so we arnt jumping around.

Klause know you are busy but could you expand what you know about the biological stuff.

Can Lweber weigh in on the idea of a middle ground approach to the organic/consumer/conventional mish mash/labelling and massive number of problems,or anyone else?

What could you give up?

What could you say to the consumer-look we ****in need this stuff?

Find the middle ground,win their hearts and minds,win the war.

Because this is a war and you are losing.

Anyone?

[ado089]

I could give up everything but gps and diesel fuel. I have no idea how we have farmers have been tricked into thinking it's our duty overproduce and grow cheap food for low margins. Part of me hopes it all gets taken away so the ungrateful masses having something valid to complain about when it comes to food... Not enough of it.

[SASKFARMER]

What have j been saying for years!

We were played again.

Hook line and sinker!

Only thing a new generation didn't have fathers who told them this has happened before beware of bull shit the world is out of food!

[farmaholic]

I don't think any bait was swallowed. I think we've been doing what we've always been doing....what I see is the problem is we are always trying to over produce ourselves into higher margins.

..."over produce ourselves into higher margins".

I would think that theory is fundamentally flawed In the laws of supply and demand.

[hobbyfrmr]

Large well managed efficient farms are the future. I see it all around me and they are successful as far as I can tell. Its just business, and the new managers are better skilled at business. The next generation is less emotionally attached to the farmland and its more like a playing card in their hands to utilize to generate more wealth.
I see much smaller properties with free ranges livestock, some beehives and a veggie market garden to sell at farmers markets or roadside stands. A big contrast but we will adjust.
I do look at the cost/price squeeze that is happening now as the frog in a pot if water. Throw the in boiling water, it jumps out.
Set the frog in nice water, gradually increase the temperature and he will boil.
Every 10 years or so a primary producer has to decide to double up on acres or not.

[northfarmer]

I think there is a place for segmentation of food production at the primary level all the way from organic to full tech. The challenge is the relative size of the market and supply and demand.

We are kidding ourselves if we think we can adopt a Canadian or continental solution for that matter to the issue as we export the large portion of our production to Asia and India. Our global competition will not slow down in its quest for higher production using whatever technology is available. This market is too price competitive to have our production left out of the technological innovations we need to remain competitive or at least try.

Therefore GMO and biotech and increasingly intensive agriculture are here to stay, there will be money to be made in the other segments but hard to see it being any large volume of production.

As for consolidation and rationalization of the public companies that supply the technology I am concerned.
I suspect that certain segments of these companies in certain markets will be problem, canola seed traits being one of them.

[farmaholic]

Hobby, the large Corporates don't seem to last. Large multi family units seem to do well. The single unit large BTO with a pile of hired help and more leased iron than owned seems to burn out and crash. The best chance is a legacy farm with an interested successor.

Just my opinion.

[hobbyfrmr]

Hobby, the large Corporates don't seem to last. Large multi family units seem to do well. The single unit large BTO with a pile of hired help and more leased iron than owned seems to burn out and crash. The best chance is a legacy farm with an interested successor.

Just my opinion.

I dont know their succession plans, but I think part of the game is to be buying farmland with all the cash flow. These operators started at their family farms so I regard them as "real" farmers. I do think one day they will decide to shut it down and either hobby farm only 10-15000 acres or just sell it all and make on the appreciation of the farmland they have bought over the years. It is not my "gig" but I think it is quite fascinating. There is a lot of money and effort going on "over there".

[fjlip]

Agree BTO/rent/all hired/ leased is NOT going to last. However, family operations rarely last more than 2 generations, seem to all split up around here. Only two that have not, one is huge, time will tell.

[biglentil]

Called a progress trap its not just ag. No different than energy sector, potash, lumber. Unemployment sky high, wages in real terms tanking, debt levels massive.

[SASKFARMER]

Family working together farm will last every BTO comes and goes!
F$&k I have seen my share

One earth

Pike

Fuduk

On and on and on!

The way today is going I might be quiting also

Slow as molasses elevator

Useless parts department

Useless mechanics

Useless RMs

Useless

Ah shit golfing is way better life!

[Partners]

Local caseih dealer has large farms trading whole line of equipment already.not even done harvest yet.