Guys quitting

[Sheepwheat]

While others maybe salivate when a farm shuts down, I get kind of sick. Country emptying out. Model isn’t working.

We’re catching up in this area of young farmers to what I guess has been general for a long time elsewhere. Big farms, few and far between.

Outside the box thinking needs to be stimulated somehow to refill the countryside.

Or it will continue to empty out. Depressing.

[ajl]

Been noticing livestock focused operations disappearing like it was the 80's. For example there are three feedlots for sale in parkland county west of Edmonton. Was part of the same company. A few others for sale as well. Main reason is the artificial boom due to distortion by the money print. Non perishable commodities like the grains benefit because they can be stored and used to hedge inflation. Perishable commodities suffer in this environment. If this is the market working then so be it, but so much is due to government distortion of the true market with the non stop print.

[jazz]

Or it will continue to empty out. Depressing.

The surge in land prices and commodities are not likely to be a point of inspiration for new people in this business. More likely people seeing an exit in a few yrs and let somebody else worry about it.

If ag was actually a respected and cherished business in this country (like the US and Europe), it might be a different story, but here is just another relic to be sh*t on by our govt. The govt would be fine if we lost another productive business to a 3rd world country. Govt cuts ribbons at sustainable bike path projects while taxes active production out of business.

[furrowtickler]

Farms are getting very large here now too.
Lots in the 15,000 up to 30,000 plus
We are small potatoes here , but it works for us so far .
Lots mid sized 5,000 and less are looking for the door at these land values if no kids interested.

But agree , the landscape is changing fairly fast in this area too as guys retire / quit / sell out ..
big transformation the past few years in this area. Used to be a lot of stable 2,000 - 4,000 acre farms ... winds of change I guess .

[SASKFARMER]

It’s funny I still don’t want to go to 15000 or bigger just yet. Maybe if the boys want to come home but probably they can play on our farm.

[blackpowder]

Long ago I came to terms with the fact I sell a raw commodity. And all that means.
Is there enough population/money to support a nation of small farms. What would keep the ambitious from becoming bigger.
Become comfortable with your own niche.
Raise your family, let them raise their own.
Dont worry about the future of the industry.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Opposite problem here. More houses all the time. Now the county wants to allow multiple parcels out of each quarter, of any size. Every 40 acre parcel could have a house on it if this goes through. There soon will be no farmland left. Not much chance of becoming a 10,000 acre farmer in this area.

On the block we live on,1 mile by 1.5 miles( creek in the way, road doesn't belong there), there are 21 residences. 3 are full time farmers. 4 are part time or aspirational farmers, most of the rest have livestock of some sort.

[blackpowder]

Real property eventually should revert to its highest end use. In some areas thats lifestyle dwellings.
More money for everyone. Taxes too.

[GDR]

Opposite problem here. More houses all the time. Now the county wants to allow multiple parcels out of each quarter, of any size. Every 40 acre parcel could have a house on it if this goes through. There soon will be no farmland left. Not much chance of becoming a 10,000 acre farmer in this area.

On the block we live on,1 mile by 1.5 miles( creek in the way, road doesn't belong there), there are 21 residences. 3 are full time farmers. 4 are part time or aspirational farmers, most of the rest have livestock of some sort.

Where my home quarter is the county has declared a growth area and is allowing up to 40 subdivisions per quarter, myself and a couple other guys happen to be farmers and not developers and own the majority of the land in the designated area so hasn't happened yet, likely to the dismay of others. Couple other areas in the county with the same rules has been tried but so far the hoops have been too big to jump through.


Not much room for big guys here either.

[Blaithin]

If ag was actually a respected and cherished business in this country (like the US and Europe),

Hahahahahahahahahaahahahhaahhahahahaha

Obviously by respected and cherished you mean more subsidized.