the "little" as you put it, farmers, don't need the money from the gov.. they are small enough they can't afford to farm full time, and thus go into town to get a real paying job. Farming is just a hobby, or past time... If you can't do it on a large scale anymore, get out... plain and simple truth. go big or go home as I was always told.
Unfortunately you're spot on with that mentality, as far as big agriculture goes. The USDA couldn't have said it any better themselves, I would have never guessed you worked for them.
Small farmers are what have built this country, like it or not, they are the reason why corporate farms and the USDA even exist. This video goes along perfectly with this argument of "go big or go home". Sad to say, so many farmers decided to go home. Now what we have left is a handful of food titans and the rest of us are left with not much choice in the food we buy.
I'm glad that people of that mentality actually exist because it actually makes my job easier to continue to thrive to have diverse products to sell to my customers. See it's easier to compete with a farmer that raises just chickens or just cows. What I don't understand is that from what I'm reading from your post... you have a full time job and you have a farm that runs for profit. SO why haven't you listened to your own advice and ramp up your production, shoot for a monoculture farm, and quite the day job in town? Go big or go home right? I'm confused.
Unfortunately you're spot on with that mentality, as far as big agriculture goes. The USDA couldn't have said it any better themselves, I would have never guessed you worked for them.
I'm glad that people of that mentality actually exist because it actually makes my job easier to continue to thrive to have diverse products to sell to my customers. See it's easier to compete with a farmer that raises just chickens or just cows. What I don't understand is that from what I'm reading from your post... you have a full time job and you have a farm that runs for profit. SO why haven't you listened to your own advice and ramp up your production, shoot for a monoculture farm, and quite the day job in town? Go big or go home right? I'm confused.
there's one more thing that I think plays right into what you are saying... "If you can't run with the big dogs... stay on the porch..."
If you're without... your jelous, if you're with... you're in the game and thankful...
Again I'm confused, if you have a day job, trust me, you're not "running with the big dogs" No offense but it seems like your the one that's without, according to what you're trying to preach. For me, according to what you're saying, I'm out and forgive me but I'm thankful. I wouldn't want to be in that rat race that you call the "game" anyways. You lose your values real quick, money talks.
If you're without... your jelous, if you're with... you're in the game and thankful...
Again I'm confused, if you have a day job, trust me, you're not "running with the big dogs" No offense but it seems like your the one that's without, according to what you're trying to preach. For me, according to what you're saying, I'm out and forgive me but I'm thankful. I wouldn't want to be in that rat race that you call the "game" anyways. You lose your values real quick, money talks.
Maybe these little farmers are too proud to go out and search to find the money. Did you ever think that being diverse makes it much harder, and most of the time much more complicated to reap gov benefits?
Too proud? Na, see small farmers have too much to do. They don't have an employee that has a job that entails of just finding government loopholes to get paid, they do it the honest way, they do it the only way they know how... they work hard. Of course being diverse is much harder than being a monoculture, but I think the benefits are better. It makes a business stronger, why would I "put my eggs all in one basket", especially with farming? That doesn't make any sense, does it?
Too proud? Na, see small farmers have too much to do. They don't have an employee that has a job that entails of just finding government loopholes to get paid, they do it the honest way, they do it the only way they know how... they work hard. Of course being diverse is much harder than being a monoculture, but I think the benefits are better. It makes a business stronger, why would I "put my eggs all in one basket", especially with farming? That doesn't make any sense, does it?
another thing that you had better go out and preach is livestock and pasture management plans. Before you start telling me about diverse livestock and grain producers needing subsidies, you go out and ask every single one of them if they're interested in two things: ONe rotational or intensive grazing.. and TWO- filling out the paperwork... and I bet 95% of them tell you NO-- the 5% who do.. I bet they've already got a plan and program in place and are reaping the benefits...
what it boils down to, sad as it is.. the little guys don't want to do the paperwork, and they don't want to change. They want to do it like it's been done for 100 years-- yet they gripe and complain about not getting any finacial assistance to "address resource concerns", or advance into the current day-in age-.
I think you're missing the mark here. There are two totally different types of farmers, one that raises livestock and one that raises feed stuff. A lot of farmers that do both have dairy or beef as well. Heres the thing that I'm getting at. I have a diverse farm, that practices intensive grazing and no, I don't fill out any paperwork for any subsidies or government payouts. The little guy here is me, I don't receive subsidies, get the same inspections as a poultry plant that does 90,000 chickens a day but yet I still manage to thrive. Am I like the farmer of yesteryear? In a way, yes I am, but like any good business you learn to adapt. Marketing is different, feeding is different, processing is different, management is different. However taking care of the land in a sustainable way, it hasn't changed. I don't need pesticides or herbicides on our farm, todays agriculture couldn't survive without it. Also I don't need government subsidies either, but it would be nice to get a check of 30,000 dollars at the end of the year for nothing... that would help me out a lot.
Point is, successfully I've rain chickens, turkeys, ducks and layers all together on the same farm. This year I will be hitting 10,000 poultry processed in a year. We also run 3 acres of vegetables, fruit, and herbs that feeds a 50 member CSA program. We will have raised 110 pigs this year to processing weight, beef only 12, lambs only 4. Both the lambs and the beef are a new venture this year. However between the two it was a $25,000 addition to the farm income, which I just happened to stumble on. Not to mention that everyone of our products were direct marketed this year by us. I didn't see a dime in government payouts. What I have done to be successful is I have learned to change my ways, I've been doing this for 12 years now and I've done nothing but change since I've started. Go big or go home right? 10,000 poultry is a piss on to a plant that does 90,000 birds in a day. At 25 years old, I'm no old timer but I know enough to run a successful hobby farm without working a day job in the city. The only thing I need to sit down and discuss is how screwed up the government is on small farms, your right, it does root back to change. There isn't a lot of money out there for small farmers, especially ones that are making a profit, and that needs to change.
I'm not trying to start a huge argument but you've posted some strong biased opinions. You're new around here, don't be so quick to pass judgement.
what it boils down to, sad as it is.. the little guys don't want to do the paperwork, and they don't want to change. They want to do it like it's been done for 100 years-- yet they gripe and complain about not getting any finacial assistance to "address resource concerns", or advance into the current day-in age-.
I think you're missing the mark here. There are two totally different types of farmers, one that raises livestock and one that raises feed stuff. A lot of farmers that do both have dairy or beef as well. Heres the thing that I'm getting at. I have a diverse farm, that practices intensive grazing and no, I don't fill out any paperwork for any subsidies or government payouts. The little guy here is me, I don't receive subsidies, get the same inspections as a poultry plant that does 90,000 chickens a day but yet I still manage to thrive. Am I like the farmer of yesteryear? In a way, yes I am, but like any good business you learn to adapt. Marketing is different, feeding is different, processing is different, management is different. However taking care of the land in a sustainable way, it hasn't changed. I don't need pesticides or herbicides on our farm, todays agriculture couldn't survive without it. Also I don't need government subsidies either, but it would be nice to get a check of 30,000 dollars at the end of the year for nothing... that would help me out a lot.
Point is, successfully I've rain chickens, turkeys, ducks and layers all together on the same farm. This year I will be hitting 10,000 poultry processed in a year. We also run 3 acres of vegetables, fruit, and herbs that feeds a 50 member CSA program. We will have raised 110 pigs this year to processing weight, beef only 12, lambs only 4. Both the lambs and the beef are a new venture this year. However between the two it was a $25,000 addition to the farm income, which I just happened to stumble on. Not to mention that everyone of our products were direct marketed this year by us. I didn't see a dime in government payouts. What I have done to be successful is I have learned to change my ways, I've been doing this for 12 years now and I've done nothing but change since I've started. Go big or go home right? 10,000 poultry is a piss on to a plant that does 90,000 birds in a day. At 25 years old, I'm no old timer but I know enough to run a successful hobby farm without working a day job in the city. The only thing I need to sit down and discuss is how screwed up the government is on small farms, your right, it does root back to change. There isn't a lot of money out there for small farmers, especially ones that are making a profit, and that needs to change.
I'm not trying to start a huge argument but you've posted some strong biased opinions. You're new around here, don't be so quick to pass judgement.
