The IOWA FARMLAND rush continues on...........

[KaiB]

Laserboy,

Now you've attacked the ethics, sense and craft of the American farmer. Feel better? I do agree with you about the ethanol house of cards, however...

You'd better check your facts about the state of ag in Brazil. Yes, their production numbers are impressive, but not sustainable (neither are ours!), they have tremendous infrastructure problems, exchange problems, huge environmental problems, and as they make the switch to commodities (as opposed to food products) they will soon feel the pinch of petroleum based agriculture.

The US farmer puts food on the plate for less than any other in the world; its better food, safer food, more diverse food and damn sure more environmentally friendly food (now) than you'll find elsewhere.

[laserboy]

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Farmers in South America have traditionally used a lot of manual labor to grow crops. The ones who did have mechanized equipment had American leftovers from the 60's & 70's. What do the vast majority of American farmers use nowadays?? The latest & greatest thing available, probably 5 yrs old or less. So, yeah I agree with alot you said about their labor cost, equipment costs, rainfall, etc. But it's your attitude that's way off. Why are you so down on the American farmers?? We raise way more agricultural products as a country than Brazil. Why do you think we are called the breadbasket to the world? You stated you were bullish on US agriculture...doesn't sound like it to me. Sounds like you have an axe to grind about something?


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Its laughable how Americans, as you say, have all these huge competitive advantages... they have the best in equipment and agriculturual technology in the world, direct access to the world's best market, and pretty much the ideal distribution channel in the Mississippi River which practically runs right through their cornfields... and yet they are still unable to sell or export goods at a profit without handouts, tariffs, price fixing, and other forms of government intervention?

I am bullish on agricultural commodities, not on US agriculture. In researching the industry, I came to the conclusion that Brazil and Argentina, and companies that do business in those countries would be better places for my investment dollars than the US. So far I have been happy with that decision.

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You think so?? You are sadly mistaken. We have really cheap food compared to the rest of the world.


FWIW, the US farmer has always wanted a fair market price for his product & not be subsidized by the gov't. But, to remain competitive in the world market & to keep our food costs down, the USDA has to offer subsidies. If they are taken completely away and the US farmer went belly up & we did have to import all of our food like you want to do, then food costs would be just like the price of oil right now. You think the cost of a gallon of milk & a dozen eggs is high now!!!


Less Taxes??? Farmers make up less than 1% of the US population...how is 1% going to affect your taxes?? Explain this to me because I'm having a real hard time understanding this.

Want your taxes to go down...Tell that to Bush & his war in Iraq. They're only spending $10 billion a day over there so the oil company exec's can line their pockets a little more as reimbursement for getting him re-elected. The ol' "you scratch my back & I'll scratch yours." But that a whole different argument.

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You can't be serious? In a free market without government intervention, you think prices would be higher than they are now? If that were really the case, then American farmers could just go back to growing crops in a horribly inefficient fashion, like they do now, and bring prices right back down.

In reality, in a free market, people would adapt and learn to grow crops profitably as farmers have done throughout the rest of the world and the rest of human history. You don't think that can be done, with all the advantages American farmers have been given? Farmers in China grow crops on barren land, with toxic polluted water, and massive water shortages yet American farmers are the ones that need handouts from the government?

[laserboy]

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Laserboy,

Now you've attacked the ethics, sense and craft of the American farmer. Feel better? I do agree with you about the ethanol house of cards, however...

You'd better check your facts about the state of ag in Brazil. Yes, their production numbers are impressive, but not sustainable (neither are ours!), they have tremendous infrastructure problems, exchange problems, huge environmental problems, and as they make the switch to commodities (as opposed to food products) they will soon feel the pinch of petroleum based agriculture.

The US farmer puts food on the plate for less than any other in the world; its better food, safer food, more diverse food and damn sure more environmentally friendly food (now) than you'll find elsewhere.

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That's pretty big talk from someone that collects welfare for a living! How's that?

I am not so much against American farmers as I am against government intervention. I think it breeds waste and inefficiency. I feel the same way about the US auto industry.

If US farmers can produce crops so cheaply and efficiently, then why do they need the protection of the US government? They should learn to compete on even footing in the global marketplace or else go get real jobs.

There are tons of risks currently associated with investing in Brazil. But like I said, one unit of farmland there produces a higher yield at 1/10 the cost. The current state of American farming is, in my opinion, a model of inefficiency. I don't think it is illogical to want to place my investment dollars elsewhere.

[Brad1970]

Obviously trying to argue anything with Laserboy that conflicts with his view is like trying to teach a pig to read...it's impossible & irritates the pig.

Laserboy, are from the land of 'fruits & nuts'?

[laserboy]

I just went back and read through this entire thread and came across this gem from Brad:

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There is one way to make money off of farmland that no one has mentioned in this thread. Take it out of production & place it in the CRP. You get paid by the USDA to do nothing with it but still own it. Some folks even plant trees on it or enroll it as a wildlife habitat or both (and the trees are yours to sell when they mature). So, if you knew what you were doing, you could get paid multiple ways for doing nothing but signing a contract with the government.

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I love how he then goes on to pretend that he isn't a welfare queen! Listen to how indignant he is! Where does the pride and sense of entitlement come from? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[KaiB]

There you go again. Your beloved Brazil is not producing crop for 1/10 the cost of ours, as a matter of fact, land cost excluded, costs are very much the same. Labor remains very depressed (actually, some slavery exists in rural Brazil), the cost of chemicals is less than half ours, and the cost of machinery is about half ours (cheap labor again).

Your statements reflect your ignorance.

I have to run out to the Post Office and see if my next check is in. We have quite a few acres in CRP, and the contract required a rather large investment on our behalf. Brazil will pay dearly for its ag practices within the decade, as we have, but we have turned the corner in many ways.

None of this is sustainable anyway...just ask a Cornhusker about the state of his aquifer.

[Fishhead24]

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Boy would I love to get my hands on the list of people you've sold IOWA FARMLAND to fishhead...How much would I have to invest to get your client list?

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Have never sold as much as one acre of Iowa farmland to anybody.

A few years back I donated a couple acres to the community to expand a cemetary plot ajacent to my land, that is the extent of it.

[Brad1970]

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I just went back and read through this entire thread and came across this gem from Brad:

[ QUOTE ]

There is one way to make money off of farmland that no one has mentioned in this thread. Take it out of production & place it in the CRP. You get paid by the USDA to do nothing with it but still own it. Some folks even plant trees on it or enroll it as a wildlife habitat or both (and the trees are yours to sell when they mature). So, if you knew what you were doing, you could get paid multiple ways for doing nothing but signing a contract with the government.

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I love how he then goes on to pretend that he isn't a welfare queen! Listen to how indignant he is! Where does the pride and sense of entitlement come from? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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I'm not a welfare queen. I have a job. Every word I said in that thread is true. Just another way to invest in farmland & make money off of it.

You didn't answer my other question?

[laserboy]

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"WE ARE THE WORLD'S BREADBASKET! THE WORLD WOULD STARVE WITHOUT US!"


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LOL!

If by the "land of fruits and nuts" means California (I had to google it), then yes I live in California.

[Brad1970]

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"WE ARE THE WORLD'S BREADBASKET! THE WORLD WOULD STARVE WITHOUT US!"


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LOL!

If by the "land of fruits and nuts" means California (I had to google it), then yes I live in California.

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Damn I'm good.

All of your extensive & comprehensive knowledge of agriculture & you didn't know that. Shocker!!!

I guess you hug trees & recycle your sandals too.