How do you see 2007?

[cowman]

I would say, overall, 2007 should be a year of optomism in rural Canada?
This year, old cattle and beef should start to enter the US and we should get more from the market...than shooting them and letting the vet work them over!
Its got to be fairly rosy for the grain farmer? The ethanol and bio deisel thing have got to bring some enthusiasm back into the business?
No matter what your political stripe is, it has to be promising that we have a farmer as premier and a predominantly rural cabinet? Suerly they should understand some of the issues we face?
Economic activity in the oil patch will remain strong despite some temporary setbacks in the exploration end?
We have a government in Ottawa that is "Western Canada" friendly...perhaps the first one in decades?
Hopefully this will be the year the western grainfarmer will be finally free from a devastating forced monopoly? Hopefully once it is gone the west will aquire some value added processing?
In Alberta, at least, we went into fall with excellent moisture conditions and that should be very benificial for a good start for the crops?
All in all I see a year that should be better! What do you think?

[wilagro]

I say that you could be full of hops...but that is just my opinion.

Happy New Year...

[coppertop]

I hope you are on the right track cowman. Better an optimist than a pessimist anyday !!

[Horse]

I dont see the cow thing getting better but thats just my guess,
as for the bio and ethy I suspect that it will only work if grain prices are low. Now I dont know if $3 bly will cut a fat hog in the ass or not,I dont think it will help any young producers get started.
So I guess as long as you have a bunch of your eggs in the oil patch all is well.
We will know a little more at the end of the yr I hate to predict because its only tenderfeet and dam fools that do and I am to old to be a tenderfoot.

[wade]

Cowman- I like your predictions! Whether or not true, time till tell but you were brave enough to predict and post! All on a positive note and a great way to start a Happy New Year!

[cowman]

The fact is no one knows whats around the corner! You can think everything is looking rosy and have a lot of hope for the future...and then some monkey wrench gets thrown into the mix!
A neighbor, just lately, came down with cancer! Now this guy is never down and is a real go getter.
The fact is he is pretty well toast, whether he likes it or not. The doctor told him right out things looked pretty grim and he was going to die! He told the doctor "Oh no I'm not! I'm too damned young and I've got too much stuff to do yet!"...Got to admire his attitude?
The fact is right now he probably couldn't care less if barley is $3 or the cattle market sucks? You might say his priorities have changed?
But I do think we have somethings happening in agriculture and the rural community, that can give us some hope? Probably more hope than the last several years.