Why as farmers do we like to overpay!

[JDGreen]

Isee your point and understand your frustration...

[ado089]

My experiece is that sometimes paying hundreds more at times saves me thousands more at other times. SF3 what do you think it should cost to carry inventory, take on credit risk, provide educated recomendations, keep the doors open 18hrs 7days a week incase on Sunday night you decide to switch from the $100/jug Buctril M to the $98/jug Badge because it's a better deal. You consistently whine about how everyone else in the system in making so much money, how about the last couple of years with high yields and high prices, people might argue that you were making too much money. I'm pretty sure when the grain buyer offered you $14/bu you didn't tell hime that was too high and that $9/bu would be enough. Grow up! It's not your god given right to farm. Farming because it's a way of life, hobby, or beacuse it's all you know how to do doesn't cut it anymore. Farming is a multi-million dollar buisness and if you're best buisness plan for sucess is nickel and diming your supplier you're probably in for a rude awakening. If you want to make a difference on the bottom line focus where real dollars can be made or lost like marketing/hedging, risk management, production effeiciencies/techniques, tax planning, labor costs...

[JDGreen]

xclent post ado89 , as much as i agree with your post i do not respect the fact that SF3 is singled out as a nickel and dimer as he most certainly is no different than 95% of producers. Therefore he is the "norm.", and we are all no different in many respects.. But to concentrate efforts on some very important areas of your farm business as you suggest is truly where much more money is made than wasting all your efforts trying to save a few cents on glypho or buctril..

[ado089]

I may have been a bit harsh. I usualy respect sf3 as good source of info and for having a good handle on current events. It just seems lately there is alot of complaining about buisneses making money. Last time I checked that was the goal of operating one. It's no ones responsability to make sure we can grow cheap food anymore than it's our responsibility to grow it. As I'm combining my canola that's been frozen, chewed on, dried out, and choked out by wild oats and cleavers and it's still running in the high 40's I'm reminded of what the industry has given back. 15 years ago 40 would have probably been out of reach on a good year, never mind a crap year like this.

[DogPatch]

Excellent post ado.....

I read somewhere that should the price of glyphosate go to where the "experts" think that most local dealers will stop handling the product.

We've seen the post of cheap supplies of Chinese glyphos, but we need to remember that there still is adjuvant, packaging, carriers, anti-foamers etc etc that are needed to make it a useable product. (Never mind all the legal costs) If we want the cheap product, then we will have to expect to see less service, less inventory etc at a local level.

[may-be]

I agree on the last few posts. But nickel and dimeing is something I feel most of us don't do. Getting to save a few hundred bucks will never make me buy elsewere because of the fair price and good service I am getting from my current supplier. Being a smaller farmer you do pay a certain % more than a larger one. Now I get a better price than some on my fert because of my pree buying strageties and capabilities. I think what left a sour taste in most mouths is how much our inputs went up when our prices went up. We know that the big corps will want most of the profits when grain prices goe up again. That is the fustration.

[curran]

This is not as simple as paying for products....I hate to overpay for anything but also realize that service and expertise can be of value to me when I am really trying to increase my revenue not just focus on low costs...

Good points though....farmers do not have much pricing power.