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Goodbye small family farm

B

bc

Well-known Member
Just read that Bill Gates became the top US farmland owner. His largest land holdings are in Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Arizona. Total is 242,000 acres in more than a dozen states. La, 69,071; AR 47,297; NE 20,588; AZ 25,750; and Washington state with 16,097. No. 2 on the list is the Offutt family who owns roughly 52,000 acres less. Now we know where all the farm payments are going to and who is keeping the prices down. Maybe he should quit planting to help the rest of us.
 
That will never happen. Most farmers have mortgages and expenses that would put them into bankruptcy if they tried what you suggest. Without 100% participation, it simply could not work.
 
Nope your right as quick as a buyer offered 3 cents of market price someone would sell out in a heartbeat
 
(quoted from post at 22:57:41 01/15/21) Just read that Bill Gates became the top US farmland owner. His largest land holdings are in Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Arizona. Total is 242,000 acres in more than a dozen states. La, 69,071; AR 47,297; NE 20,588; AZ 25,750; and Washington state with 16,097. No. 2 on the list is the Offutt family who owns roughly 52,000 acres less. Now we know where all the farm payments are going to and who is keeping the prices down. Maybe he should quit planting to help the rest of us.
Click to expand...

Did the read say that the land was being actively farmed?
And what was being raised?
Maybe he is putting it into conservation land?
Buying it up for housing projects?
 
I remember when all of our local farmers were going to dump their milk to get prices up and most agreed. But when it came the time
to do it only about 1/2 did. Caused a lot of hard feelings for neighbors.
 
I'm pretty sure that some day I will want to sell my farm as my son is not interested. I can only hope that somebody has cash, I don't care
if it is Bill Gates or Ron Offutt or my next door neighbor. The big guys maybe have more money and can treat the land as it should and not
just mine it.
 
BC, I think I am calling BS. I am NOT saying Ted Turner is largest private landholder in the USA, but Im pretty sure he was several years ago and had at least twice as
much acreage as your are saying Bill Gates has now. Im not necessarily disputing your statement, but the number of acres 'feels" awful low to me. what is the source of
your information?
 
Well that's what I was thinking. These guys got to be kidding. I just sold some corn this week for $5.19
I wish prices would always be this bad.
 
It’s always the spineless that ruin it for everyone that’s how my boss lost his dairy big milk company wanted to back out of the contract boss said no and everybody else said oh ok screw us a little harder. Everyone eats everyday there’s no reason why farmers shouldn’t get a better price for the commodities
 
Just to add; me being a landowner and farmer. Land from a big landowner is usually cash rented. our government payments are so unreliable and to add. so
small, they aren't worth passing out. the cash renter gets the government payments if he cash rents!
 
Shaler I believe John Malone is the largest private land owner in the United States. They are saying Bill Gates is the largest farm ground owner in the United States. Maybe it should say Bill Gates is the largest tillable ground or crop ground landowner.
 
He and his other billion air friends are steadily buying America, they will soon control everything.
 
(quoted from post at 09:26:34 01/16/21) He and his other billion air friends are steadily buying America, they will soon control everything.
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I read that from a Fox Business news article. I assume that comes from the FSA. I know Ted Turner has a lot of range land for buffalo and whatever. Maybe they treat that differently.

Beans are around 14 and I sold 2 months ago for 10.10. Go figure. I remember when wheat got up to 9 bux so I sold it. Then it went on up to 12 bux and I was kicking myself.

The billionaires are buy up land which has the price up high for land. When crop prices go up, farmers buy more equipment which drives that price up.

What I haven't kept up on lately is how much land and businesses are owned by other countries which is quite substantial.
 
Guess it'll be like the old South,few large land owners and their share croppers.The small farms growing for the direct to consumer market is the future for small independent farmers.
 
WOW, you guys should listen to yourselves.

1: Government payments? Government subsidized crop insurance? Why in the heck is a small or large business like farming getting any TAXPAYER money? If you get things like that then every business should get things like that!

2: The family farm died decades ago and the "family farmer" is the one who killed it. Think about it. How many family farm kids ran as fast and as far from the family farm as possible when they graduated high school that you know? Go ask them why! I know why the kids here in 72/73/74 ran from the family farm. DO you?

3: Just how many families could that farm support? In todays current life styles? Heck even back in the 60's and 70's the farm had to grow if junior was going to stay. Once he got married that farm had to be big enough to support 2 families. So the guys down the road retired, kids done left, he needs money to enjoy retirement? What's he to do? Keep farming till he dies t make you happy.

4: Someone has to buy the land and buyers, not sellers determine the price. You have someone to take over your farm? If not, when you retire and decide to sell out you going to set the price low to give a kid a chance or are you going to ask current market value while hoping that the land prices are steady or go higher?

Rick
 
(quoted from post at 10:55:45 01/16/21)
(quoted from post at 09:26:34 01/16/21) He and his other billion air friends are steadily buying America, they will soon control everything.
Click to expand...

I read that from a Fox Business news article. I assume that comes from the FSA. I know Ted Turner has a lot of range land for buffalo and whatever. Maybe they treat that differently.

Beans are around 14 and I sold 2 months ago for 10.10. Go figure. I remember when wheat got up to 9 bux so I sold it. Then it went on up to 12 bux and I was kicking myself.

The billionaires are buy up land which has the price up high for land. When crop prices go up, farmers buy more equipment which drives that price up.

What I haven't kept up on lately is how much land and businesses are owned by other countries which is quite substantial.
Click to expand...
would highly recommend you verify any information obtained from Fox News. Not at all reliable.
 
I'd say you are right at the present time,but would bet in the not too distant future many of those that left the land will wish they had stayed.I had the best of both worlds good paying job less than 15 miles away and could still farm in partnership with my dad.On slow years since I didn't need the money to live he got all the profit.I have no one in my family that wants to work hard enough to farm so one day a developer will make me an offer I can't refuse.Will move to a mountain top in WVA.
 
Tim ..... probably best to rephrase your reply to something like ...

"I would highly recommend you verify any information obtained from __________ News. Not at all reliable."

Just fill in the blank and everyone's happy.
 
As long as the public wants cheap food and the government will try to provide that farm products will never be very profitable let alone the fact you are buying retail and selling wholesale.
 
What they don't buy up the Native American tribes are taking back at their casinos one nickel at a time
 
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