Closing down All Production For 2009

[freewheat]

Yes we should not seed as much this year. I and my neighbors have been saying this for years, but no one ever does something about it. It would be a monumental task. i know I will have voluntary summerfallow for the first time in 15 years this next year.

And Zaphod, I like you had a good crop. Nay, an excellent crop. However, it was the first crop I had that was decent since 2003, due to excessive moisture and unseeded acres, frost, etc. So, yes the crop was there, some was priced well, but boy, many of us up here are still behind the ole 8 ball. Had we had a crop in 07, it would have been the difference for us. Unfortunately we did not have one. The future is still in doubt for the area farmers.

[countryguy]

Saskfarmer if everyone thought like you did the farming community would be a lot better place to be in.There are way too many boneheads at the primary level who are too willing to bend over for the corps and think nothing of it.This "economic crisis" we are in now would pale in comparison to what we could do to the world if we could just get our act together.We DO have the power to starve the world in 1 single year.All it would take is to get everyone on side.Are we up to the task?

[freewheat]

I'm on board!

[skhadenuf]

So am I, We sit back and complain and listen to all the so called experts who don't have a clue what's really going on. Time for us to control more of our own destiny and it is possible.

[fjlip]

Remember this?


"Focus on Sabbatical plan calls for farmers in Canada, the U.S., Brazil, Australia and Argentina to take one-third of their land, or about 150 million acres, out of production.
That would mean a production cut of about eight billion bu. of wheat, feed grains and oilseeds.
"I have absolutely no doubt that we can boost the price significantly with an eight billion bushel cut in production," Goudy told about 80 farmers who attended the April 10, 2003 conference in Saskatoon.
He added that Canadian farmers have much more to gain from the Focus plan than their American counterparts, who are already well-protected from low world prices by generous subsidy payments from their government.
Focus will also be talking with Canadian farm organizations such as the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, provincial canola growers associations and the Canadian Wheat Board, with an eye to creating alliances to promote the plan.
The conference included a discussion period during which Ken Root, executive director of the U.S. National Association of Farm Broadcasters, led a discussion of Focus's plans and prospects with Goudy, University of Saskatchewan agricultural economist Ken Rosaasen and members of the audience.
Rosaasen said that while there is no question a production cut of the size being talked about would boost prices, there will be problems getting enough farmers to act together to accomplish it and preventing others from boosting production to take advantage of any price rise that does occur."


The key is farmers will not act together. Production is reduced by the free market by squeezing us till we are forced to quit growing which eventually leads to less supply and higher prices. That is how "the cure for low prices is low prices" works. The market does not care what your costs are. It exists for cycles. Speculators make as much money when it goes down. We work with it or quit. The power brokers will never change it for our benefit. Sorry.

[agstar77]

Farmers will not act together. However there will be production cuts simply because credit will be tight, bankers looking at operating margins will not be very anxious to lend.

[AdamSmith]

SF, I hear you and if taking a voluntary sabatical is what you have to do, then thats what you have to do, the same goes for all others, I myself havn't ruled out summerfallow but I'm not ready to make that decision just yet.

But please don't go down the road of thinking everyone is a bonehead because their not prepared to do the same.

Countryguy said, We DO have the power to starve the world in 1 single year.All it would take is to get everyone on side.Are we up to the task?

Now I understand this is just rhetoric but it is still alarming to hear to say the least.

Think about what you just said and then think how utterly delusional it is.

Society will tolerate alot of crap, but when you start threatening to take away their dinner, you better have a very large and powerful army to protect you from them.

But it's the spirit of the statement that alarms me. To even consider "Your desire for a greater profit" to be the moral equivilance and justification for mass starvation is just horrifying.

You may have sunk to those depths, but please don't assume others have.

I know I should know better than to get between a farmer and his victim mentality but there are no guarantees in farming and I'm surprised some of you haven't figured this out by now.

[SASKFARMER3]

Fjip your correct but since countries all over the world produce production forecasts that hurt our prices, Ex Australia starting in last march with a huge production number then all year lowering it. Here's a novel Idea when stats Canada phones for next springs production by Canadian farmers Drop your seeded acreage by 50% don't purchase fert till last minuet if you change your mind. Take 50% that you will need in seed and fert so your protected. now show numbers, Canola Canadian production 7 million tons, Wheat production 12 million tons etc etc etc. Now farmers do this all over the world HM don't you think prices would go up. OR will they call our bluff and face starvation. Lets remember the world only has so many days of food. By only buying half your needs in inputs the suppliers face ruin, 1/2 sales just doesn't work in todays world of business.

[Kodiak]

I'm not going to tell ANYONE, but if you guys are all REALLY going to shut your production down that's great!

What an opportunity! I'm going to raise my fertilizer application by 20%, buy the best seed, and seed fence to fence. With all that '09 production off the S&D calculations, I figure my production should be quite profitable.

But SSHHHHHHHHH!

[Kodiak]

Oh, I forgot. Please go and convince all your friends and neighbours to shut their production off too. Then it will work even better!

WOW! I see lower fertilizer prices and higher grain prices! But shhhhhhhh, don't tell anyone that part If this ever gets out it won't work for me.

And good luck!

[skhadenuf]

Guys better run to the fertilizer dealers right now because now that they know some are seeding fence to fence price will be up because of the massive short supply and logistic problems. Then when you get whacked out by drought frost flood or what ever the hell else, you can sit back and let your CAIS cheque come in the mail ahhHHHHHHH about 2 years later somewhere around the time your CWB cheque arrives in time to make you feel good for Christmas. Meanwhile some asshole on the radio will mention that some farmer on some quarter grew 50 bushels an acre of canola therefore even at the $6.00 a bushel mark he's rollin in doe. Meanwhile your 10 or 15 bushels although isn't costing you much in bin space or trucking covers your crop premium, fuel, some spray and some repairs. 2 years later though Cais wants their money back because they made an error, so really got nothing other than an accountant's bill.
Yeah I think you're right we should just keep doing things the way we are, always nice to read about the banks, fertilizer co., practically everyone else up the supply line of our product bosting their billions of profit, while many are freezing their ass off away from family working rigs etc just for the food and power bill.

[vvalk]

SF3 you had from February to July to price high priced canola. Alsoa about the same length of time or longer for wheat or specialty crops. There was lots of time to price this years crop and the next 2 years. I am surprised you run a farm like you do with how excitable you get. You only have yourself to blame if your farm is not HUGELY profitable this year since we know you had a crop. Whats the deal with the bitchen about fertilizer prices. Fert prices dropped in half. What have you saved? $30 or $40 an acre. What about the $16 canola that is now $8. Based on 40 bus or more thats $300 to $400 an acre lost. You would have been way better off to buy $1000 urea and sold your canola for $15. Think about it.