NEWS & OPINION
By Darlene Coehoorn, MODPA President
Added May 16, 2008. Would it have been realistic in the beginning of 2007 when fuel was $2.30 a gallon to expect by the beginning of 2008 that we would be looking at $4.00 a gallon for gas and diesel?
Is it realistic for processors to pay transition dollars and increase the competition for feed stuffs while they contend they cannot pay existing farmers enough to compete for the same feedstuffs?
Is it realistic for the grain side of operations to lose dollars to keep the dairy side going?
Would it be considered realistic for corn to go from $6 to $13 in a 2-year span or soybeans to go from $12 to $27and most small grains to see at least a 50% increase in price?
Is it realistic to expect to get what you need without requesting it?
Is it realistic to expect future generations to put in the long hours needed to make farming work without a reasonable return for the input and investment?
Is it realistic to keep doing the same things expecting different results?
Is it realistic to settle for less than parity? Especially when you are paying parity for some feedstuffs?
Is it realistic for the retail sector (after all middle costs are met) to get more than the farmer gets for the raw product?
Is it realistic to expect that anyone would pay $1.50 per gallon for water when much of the time the same water can be had for pennies out of their tap?
Is it realistic to keep doing what we are doing without a profit or return on investment?
Is it realistic to expect or need off farm income to be able to afford to farm?
From my view it is realistic to expect cost of production and a profit.
Posted: to Industry News on Fri, May 16, 2008
Updated: Fri, May 16, 2008
