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| the "problem" is, land is too expensive (rent and purchase price). i get that land very rarely cashflows, the historically low interest rates, flood of helicopter money into the general economy has trickled into farming. many farmer`s "real claim to fame" is a chemical sales business, trucking business, construction business, car dealership, ect and that money goes into a "tax dodge"/hobby of farming 5,000 acres much like a 5yr old going vroom vroom with his toys in a sandbox (only difference in men and boys are the size of their toys). i`m not complaining just telling it like it is, if you have a $50 million contracting business and want to take annual profits and buy a quarter every year and keep employees fully employed by putting them to work on the farm in the spring and fall, it`s a free country. however, that outside money raises the ante on those who`ve been solely making a living off the land for generations.
as far as tariffs, what no economist wants to explain or is willfully ignorant of is: if there is a US widget factory that produces widgets for $10 each, pays workers a living wage, does not pollute the air and water, provides a safe workplace for employees. if that business is forced to compete with china who pays a fraction of the US wages, no worker protections, the air is so dirty and the water so rancid that the quality of life is horrible, but they produce widgets for $4 a piece. what should be done??? put blinders on and buy their $4 widgets in hopes that they will buy our soybeans at their convenience?
see, whether a farmer wants to hear this (and i am a farmer, loves selling $13 beans as much as the next guy) we are NOT the only pebble on the beach, far from it! jeff bezos (one man) could buy the entire US corn crop $75 billion (15 bil bu x $5/bu) and the entire US soybean crop $45 billion. plus have enough left over to buy the US cotton, wheat and rice crop too and still be a billionaire. there are many million workers in the US (who are also our customers) that need a living wage, to afford our hamburger, pork chops and once a week family steak night from their own paychecks. not relying on taxpayer funded food shelves, snap programs, earned income tax credits ect... that all goes on the taxpayer`s tab too (along with being a farmer, i also am a taxpayer) so, this smoke & mirrors of cost shifting wages to compete with chinese slave labor doesn`t fly with me. | |
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How long of a warning should the farmer have that bad times are coming?
