047 Keep on the Sunny Side

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Bill Graff 1 Comment
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Do people in agriculture, especially farmers and ranchers in particular, focus too much time and attention on the negative things in our lives?

I know I do at times.

I start this podcast with a my short take on music, then compare it to agriculture. I know it sounds like a stretch, but stay with me.

So, why are so many farmers and ranchers so negative?

Today, many people all over the world are unhappy, but we have never had it so good.

I want to, no I really, really want to start focusing on the sunny side of things.

So listen and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did doing it.

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We Need a Global Minimum Tax

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Bill Graff Leave a comment

Do we also need a world communist government?  Gene Sperling, Obama’s White world taxHouse Director of the national economic council, is on C-Span discussing this.  Everybody needs to watch the C-Span video of him saying this.

He also could add, we are going to tell the states what type of taxes and programs they have to have to promote “fairness” and “equality”.  Since Obama and his progressive, liberal, socialistic, communists, yes I said communists, remember his cabinet secretary who said she admired Mao, are finding out “water will seek its own level”, which means money tends to flow to where the rewards and risks are going to give the money it best returns. Continue reading →

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Hope United States does not follow Illinois

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Bill Graff Leave a comment

I really hope the people in the United States will not continue down the progressive liberal illinois runs out businessroad that we started in 2006.

In 2006 the progressive liberals took over the United States House and Senate, along with many other political positions.  And, what followed in 2008 was a huge turn towards socialism.  The voters then made a big right turn away from the progressive liberals in 2010, but will it last????  And yes, many republicans can share in the blame of run away government social spending.

I live in one of the most progressively liberally run states in the nation.  It is not just the fact that the state is literally broke with way too many promises that it can never keep.  But, the court system is run by the trial lawyers with very high workman’s comp and all the other litigation costs associated with it. Regulations are way out if control also.  And of course union work rules are very pro union. Continue reading →

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046 – Money in Agriculture – Lots of It

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Bill Graff Leave a comment
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There is a lot of money in Agriculture right now.

Record numbers of attendees at winter Agricultural conferences. National Cattlemen Beef Association and Commodity classic have/had record number of people registered as attendees.

Cash rents are going through the roof in many areas.

Agricultural equipment sales were very high in 2011.

Farm building builders did a record business in 2011.

Land prices set record highs in 2011.  Midwest land prices made new Inflation Adjusted highs in 2011. Surpassing top made in the early 1980s.

Why is there so much money in agriculture right now?  When will the party come to an end?  Will there still be a federal farm safety net when the agriculture economy turns down???

With record government spending and entitlement programs eating up more and more federal revenues, will very much of what we think of as agricultural policy exist in 10 years?

Real farm net income continues to set records.

Lastly, I look out into the future as to what the consequences of all this money will be on the future agricultural economy.

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045 – So how are they going to compete?

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Bill Graff 4 Comments
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How does a young beginning farmer that is not part of or joining a large Farm And Ranch Countryalready running operation acquire land to farm? Grain farming especially is very,very profitable right now.  Land continues to be “locked” up by large to very large operations.  So how does a young person get started right now?

Of course the government is talking the same things it has done for years and farms just keep getting larger.  Social engineering farm groups continue to complain just like they have for years.  So how do you get started?

Many mid-sized, middle-aged operations continue to loss ground to the mega-farmers.  So how does this mid-type guy survive?  Not too far away from me a mid-sized farmer lost over 400 acres to one of the mega cash renters.  How do you plan on competing with the mega cash renters if you farm in the Midwest? 

I even know of a Co-Op that is re-structuring.  This local Co-Op is trying to leave one parent Co-Op for another one.

Young farmers used to start with livestock.  Can you do that anymore?

Can the government help?

Control of land is where it is at.  For 95% PLUS OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE, control of the land or how a farmer controls the land is key.

How are you going to compete in the future?????

 

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