PAST DUE time to tell the truth about the farm family crisis!!!

[bucket]

Meanwhile as grain farmers have billions in the field the dairy industry will wait for a payout due to the signing of ceta.


Crazy ....those guys can milk everyday and are on an cpi indexed pricing mechanism.

[chuckChuck]

Good Post Riders2010. The reality of the crisis hits hard when you see what has happened to Cotton and his family. The stress of farming and financial problems takes a heavy toll on some individuals and families. The reality is the farm safety nets are inadequate.

In my total farming career we have seen endless changes to farm programs depending on the government of the day. It is hard to make good decisions when you have the unpredictability of markets, weather, and government programs.

Agriculture needs some good safety nets. Unfortunately the current nets are not targeted well enough to those who need it most. We have tremendous support for supply managed dairy and poultry in Canada. Other sectors not so much support.

The question that needs to be asked is what are the policy objectives of the farm programs? Are they to be targeted to keep more smaller and medium sized farms in business or are they going to favour very large and specialized producers who already have a lot of advantages? I don't think most farmers or taxpayers want the biggest most successful farms to get the majority of the support, which is what often happens when subsidies and safety nets are handed out.

Without caps on payouts and support programs, are taxpayers funding the continued increase in farm size by giving those who don't need it, more support to allow big farms to get endlessly bigger? Or do we want to help keep smaller farms in business and support the health of our rural communities? These are some of the questions that need to be considered.

I want to remind many posters on Agriville that many of your posts are filled with anger and hate towards other points of views, politicians you don't like, other races and religions and ethnic groups. I find it upsetting that often there is little sympathy for "others" who don't agree with your world view.

Suicide is tragedy no mater where it happens whether it be on a farm or in a northern first nation community. Kids who grow up on reserves where there is tremendous poverty and despair came into a world they did not make. Farmers and families who get caught up in bad weather, bad markets and bad luck came into a situation that was not of their making. They all deserve our sympathy,understanding and respect.

It easy to blame someone for their own misfortune. It is easy to criticize someone because you don't like them or their political views. It is easy to make generalizations that are not true. Wherever possible be fair and understanding. Try to debate the issue and don't make the person the issue. Don't hurl personal insults. When you do, you are only showing disrespect for the target and yourself.

I know that as we are mostly anonymous on Agriville we often say things we wouldn't likely say in public or in our communities. But keep in mind that we still need to be fair and respectful on Agriville.

If you don't have any thing constructive to add to the issue then don't say anything. If all you have is vile contempt and insults then shut the f**k up and don't bother posting. Nobody deserves it especially when you don't know the person or their state of mental health.

[tmyrfield]

Most people in the cities and more importantly poliicians and beuorecrats look at farmers and see very wealthy people. I'm not saying this is the right attitude its just reality. This view is bolstered by stats can ag survey asking for values in all farm assets but not a single question on debt levels. This is on purpose so that beuorecrats can tell the political bosses that every thing is just fine down on the farm. In fact they feel that they can take more because fairness or something. The investments that farmers make to become more efficient just reinforce the idea that they have immense wealth. Media Stories of multi million dollar farm sales, record auction sales, 30000 and bigger acre farmers all add to the narrative. Farmers make up a very small part of society and are losing their voice daily. We argue amongst ourselves about policy meanwhile the pols sit back and let us shoot ourselves in the foot. I don't have a solution. And certainly groups like the nfu and wheat growers try to get the message out but it is so garbled by the time the media filters it the message has no meaning for most who themselves are struggling.
3 more years of Justin will certainly mean loss of capital gains exemption higher taxes for fuel and fert and equipment, more regulations and higher scrutiny on every single line item in your tax return. This is needed to fund liberal pet projects.
This farm will hunker down, cut spending to the bone use every legal means possible to minimize taxes. I apologize to the people in the service sector but no more meals out. No new vehicles. No equipment purchases. Buying bearings and filters from Napa instead of John deere. No prepaying of any of next year's inputs. No new loans for anything. I will let my neighbors take advantage of any and all upcoming opportunities lol. Knock yourself out.

PS
If we get 3 weeks of nice weather i reserve the right to completely change my opinion.

[boarderbloke]

For some reason, I was always under the impression that cottonpicken had rented his farm out this crop year(2016) because of his cancer, anybody else remember reading a post about that? Just wondering.

[bucket]

Chuck chuck

I get sick of politicians who are asked simple questions but can't answer.

It's the cause and effect.


The effect is being angry at stupid politicians ....the cause is that they are stupid ineffective politicians.

Just to justify my comments.

The federal guys are arguing over 1500 supper plates for pay to play.....


Brad and friends are arguing about the GTH corruption.....

A fine set of stupid, corrupt and ineffective politicians.

[chuckChuck]

I agree many politicians deserve criticism. But voters also deserve criticism for not demanding accountability and believing the BS that any politician is going to fix the problems. Voters also often vote only in their self interests and not vote for the betterment of society as a whole.

I brought it up the other day, the campaign funding issue and many thought, ya no problem if funding comes from outside the Province. In fact one poster thought those with the most money should be able to make the rules!

So how does that make politicians accountable to the average voter in Saskatchewan? If you don't have democracy that is fair and robust then you end up with wealthy elites having the most power and the average guy feels disenfranchised.

[sumdumguy]

Chuck chuck, I agree with you. These people are our friends and some comments don't sound too friendly. SF3 has taken a pile of abuse because he is good at organizing his life. I think a lot of disrespect comes from jealousy. Let's support each other and make ourselves proud of the community we have become. We all love the dirt and live to marvel at the power of one little tiny seed, a seed nurtured by a caring hand - maybe a greasy, bruised and sore hand at times. We are living the life we chose.

[bucket]

The only reason companies from Alberta are paying into brads fund is to get some special treatment with royalties or a handout....thinking otherwise is naive.....

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Not to in any way take away from this tragedy, but this isn't limited to agriculture. The financial stress has taken the same tragic toll on out of work people in the energy industry out here too in recent times. And I'm not talking about the young hot shots with the jacked up new diesel pickup and all the toys, hard working responsible family men.

However, us farmers do take it much more personally, since there is also a legacy and family history that is all tangled up in any financial problems, and assets.

[tweety]

Then costs will come down if no one can pay for anything.

But unfortunately between rate new equipment sales and seed sales, it doesn't look on average much is going to change.

Is there a correction coming in Ag?

[bucket]

Probably not a correction but I can see a major consolidation....in farms.

Raise the interest rates 2 percent and guys my age will have a nice annuity for a long time for doing nothing....


Machinery costs and inputs with grain prices one third of the seventies and I for one... am out.

[hobbyfrmr]

Then costs will come down if no one can pay for anything.

But unfortunately between rate new equipment sales and seed sales, it doesn't look on average much is going to change.

Is there a correction coming in Ag?

I dont see a correction coming. There will be more consolidation of farms. Some will retire/discontinue operations sell or rent out. Other farms will expand via purchasing or renting. This not new, everyone has a different tolerance for risk/leveraging. Most of us spend a lifetime trying to figure out the recipe......then it snows 14 inches the first week of october!