As a young farmer who's primarily a hog producer, but barely able to acquire any additional acres in grain, I'm glad grain farming is getting tough. Whole bunch of grain farmers will say they support the beginning farmer, but won't let them rent 40 acres of the 2,000 acres they farm, while driving around in brand new pickups, and spend WAY more on machinery than what is required. Hell, I had two uncles that grain farmed, one still does. One of them died, and the other proceeds to take over almost all the ground he farmed. He knew I wanted more ground (I tell everyone I'm interested in more ground), I talked politely to him about it, all he said was "I get it." Heard from his other brother, he told him "I guess I have all of it, now." A Neighbor of mine would rather rent his ground to his drunk friend who literally does none of the work, just hires everything done, probably making money on a cheap rent rate from ground his family owns. Just learned about this next thing a little while ago. Apparently, when the ground my parents sold when they divorced came up for rent, the guy who ended up renting it told the new owners "He's just starting out, don't rent it to him." or something close to that. I'm getting close to the point of if people want to be that cutthroat about it, keep the damn ground and let corporations take it over when you die. I'll just stick with hogs.
What property do you have around the hog operation? When I was a kid my father put the family garden on the banks of the ditch by the road and grazed the animals around the house, equipment, and sheds primarily to quite mowing but this opened up real acres to plant cash crops. We'd cut back brush and fence rows and improve drainage to get more land. Park equipment tight. .. I see a few youtube truck farmers hitting $300k/yr sales off three acres, it's a lot more intense project than corn/beans but think about other niches, what can you grow to sell direct to consumers instead of to the commodity grain elevator for dirt cheap? Wander around the local farmers market and see what is popular and what is missing that could be popular. Test market several different crops this season, expand the best and add new ones next year. .. I've switched from 30in corn to 15in corn this year for increased yield, it's like getting 50% more acres for free (you need to expand seed to seed spacing). Do all that while you are looking for more land. More will be available cheaper as the recession and boomer demographics force it.
@@jvin248 Just 5 acres. Alot of what isn't taken up by buildings, I use to pasture farrow hogs. I used to put sheep on the septic field, and the ram was fenced around the house part of the year, but I shouldn't attempt that with hogs. :D If I were to garden, I'd section off a couple/few acres of what I rent, one field has a hydrant right next to it. I used to do organic corn/beans, so I still have a moldboard plow, rotary hoe, and row cultivator. I sell to a "natural" pork company. You don't get rich, but unless you have high death loss post weaning, you won't lose money. I think I got 1.04/lb. carcass weight on one of my last loads. Thought about direct marketing, but what I've seen from someone that does it around here, it can be a real headache, and volatile. May try it at some point, though.
@@ShermanT.Potter Getting a few acres on credit puts a fire under your ass to get it done. I've done that over the last few years and have aquired a lot of land that way. 12k is not that much considering how much you could make doing intelligent farming methods.
I’m a 20 year old guy from Copenhagen, Denmark. Did not expect to go down the farming RUclips rabbit hole, but kudos to you guys - really interesting stuff!
The problem with the crop insurance deal is that ground that should never be row cropped is being grain farmed. When 60, 70 years ago that ground was swamp, pasture, hay ground.
Wealthy and large farms generally receive the most money from farm subsidies. Farm subsidy programs are designed to give the most money to farms with the most acres or crops produced, which are often large monoculture operations. For example, one study found that the largest 10% of farms receive about 60% of subsidies from three large programs, and another study found that the top 10% of farms receive nearly 80% of subsidies. These subsidies are primarily for commodity crops like corn and soy, and the profits often go to entities other than the farmers themselves.
It is interesting that you talk about how farmers get a bad rap for getting crop insurance and how people are hard on farmers. I know no other business than farming that is so universally loved by the public. I was the Corporate Research Director at Farm Journal magazine and when I told people what I did, almost universally people told me how much they love farmers. I can't say that for any other field I have been in.
I’m a Canadian farmer. Enjoy listening to your guests on how they got started and how they have expanded. Keep up the good work. Only thing I would do if I was you. Would break up your chats into shorter segments. And hone in on topics. As I rarely ever have enough time to listen full episodes at one sitting. Anyways just some constructive criticism. Don’t take wrong way.
Legend has it that a farmer once won a 15 million dollar lottery. When he was interviewed by the lottery officials, they asked the farmer what he planned to do with his winnings. The farmer looked at him and said nothing, I plan on continuing farming until it's gone.
Sawyer your on the right track, and at the right age to beginning building your wealth. You've got 40+ years, but you've got to begin now by making good decisions.
we have some locals that did huge solar deals. bringing in about a million a year play money. he is going around renting out acres for huge cash, running out eht neighboring competitors. tehn can come back to teh land owner and say. this doesnt work anymore. and offer 100 a acre since nobody is renting against him. he will set his own price for rent or they can sell out to him. that is FU money
I remember when there were more independent stores with actual butcher departments. Processing was done by family businesses. There definitely was a difference in the quality and taste of local beef and pork. That's why I like farmer grade, because I know who's growing it. I'm all for family owned small businesses.
Thought y’all hit the nail on the head regarding crop insurance. The cost-sharing of producers premiums by all tax-paying citizens of our country is one of the greatest returns we get from our tax dollars.
Your loans from Farm Credit are also tax payer subsidized since Farm Credit is a tax exempt entity. I have no issue with this for small farmers, but large farms should not enjoy tax exempt financing.
Maybe Farmers Business Network can start working on a farmer driven Coop for livestock processing and marketing to compete? Like you mention, it's going to be near impossible to compete except in niche markets independently.
Started hog farming at 8 with the 2 sows my dad gave me. Over the years grew it myself to 10 sows. (Couldn’t get bigger due to building space). 17 years old trying to start a path into farming. But Had to sell everything last year because I couldn’t get a plant to give me more than 15 cents a pound because I couldn’t contract more than 500 head a year to them. Found it dumb small farmers don’t get a chance.
You would have been better to find a small butcher shop and sell as a boutique farm. Things like “My hogs are well looked after and not exposed to toxic ammonia levels tainting the meats taste” All we’re saying is you just need to market to a different buyer.
The subsidize insurance keeps farmers for going broke does not make them rich, that being said there are those who abuse the system. You can live with out a cell phone you can not live with out agriculture buy local. Bacon cooked on cast iron, but you have to know what your doing and have a well seasoned pan.
I’m in north central Iowa I was replacing injectors the one week we had to plant.. another 2 inches expected today I doubt I’ll have the hay in before June at this rate
The LWE system is super interesting to me. My wife and I are putting up a bedpack cattle barn this summer, we'll retain some outdoor lots with a catch pond for solid runoff and water. Do you think a system like that could work for an open air pit?
Have to ask as you mentioned farmer grade meat. I know that the cost is going to be higher buying local meat and having it processed vs buying commercial. I typically get 2 hogs and a 1/2 beef a year. However many people imo see the local price and say well why would I do that. Food for thought, you need to do a podcast or even video about the benefit of buying farmer vs commercial. That cooler and coats cost ya around 7 figures 😂. I'm about 8 miles from psi/12 from kats so very familiar with the things/ places you're speaking of
Cowboys has done 💩 since they installed a Salary Cap. The only reason they won Super Bowls was they spent more money. The best thing that happened out of that was Jerry Jones thought he could be a General Manager and is drafting players and deciding on who to keep 😂
Tyson doesn't hire them directly through a 3rd party which can be shut down and another one pops up. The same thing was happening in Iowa. It has been a problem for decades - Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush... All of them
Two cups of sugar. Lol. Somewhere something changed for all you Germans who moved to the Midwest. From barely sweet in the old country to nothing but sugar and more sugar, here😂
Because the NFIP is broke. And they know it. Now even places in X500s are going to have to subsidize places in flood zones. Like most things in this country, it's a mess.
That's a good question. If the government would get out of the crop insurance then some marginal ground would go back to pasture or swamp where it belongs.
Grew up on a cattle farm. Every time I hear/see someone claim that "farmers are rich, because they drive a nice truck, or have nice equipment"...I just shake my head at their ignorance.
Tell that to the pig farmer from Missouri who has a multi million dollar vacation home in southwest Florida on water and a million dollar yacht docked out back…there’s tons of very very wealthy “farmers” and cash crop growers
@@user-mi5ws7sf3u doubful. This is the government we’re talking about here. Even if it did though, with the amount of farms in the US that comes out to only about $15k per farm on avg.
@@user-mi5ws7sf3u being this is the government we’re dealing with I have my doubts. Even if that were the case though, with the amount of farms in the US that comes out to like $15k a piece on average.
@@Beyonder8335 The money primarily went to red state farmers. Regardless, $15,000 or $15. If you can't make it without handouts then get out of farming. The successful farmers will gladly fill the void.
As a young farmer who's primarily a hog producer, but barely able to acquire any additional acres in grain, I'm glad grain farming is getting tough. Whole bunch of grain farmers will say they support the beginning farmer, but won't let them rent 40 acres of the 2,000 acres they farm, while driving around in brand new pickups, and spend WAY more on machinery than what is required. Hell, I had two uncles that grain farmed, one still does. One of them died, and the other proceeds to take over almost all the ground he farmed. He knew I wanted more ground (I tell everyone I'm interested in more ground), I talked politely to him about it, all he said was "I get it." Heard from his other brother, he told him "I guess I have all of it, now." A Neighbor of mine would rather rent his ground to his drunk friend who literally does none of the work, just hires everything done, probably making money on a cheap rent rate from ground his family owns. Just learned about this next thing a little while ago. Apparently, when the ground my parents sold when they divorced came up for rent, the guy who ended up renting it told the new owners "He's just starting out, don't rent it to him." or something close to that. I'm getting close to the point of if people want to be that cutthroat about it, keep the damn ground and let corporations take it over when you die. I'll just stick with hogs.
Sounds like too much trouble. Better to buy some new land. Owner financing.
What property do you have around the hog operation? When I was a kid my father put the family garden on the banks of the ditch by the road and grazed the animals around the house, equipment, and sheds primarily to quite mowing but this opened up real acres to plant cash crops. We'd cut back brush and fence rows and improve drainage to get more land. Park equipment tight. .. I see a few youtube truck farmers hitting $300k/yr sales off three acres, it's a lot more intense project than corn/beans but think about other niches, what can you grow to sell direct to consumers instead of to the commodity grain elevator for dirt cheap? Wander around the local farmers market and see what is popular and what is missing that could be popular. Test market several different crops this season, expand the best and add new ones next year. .. I've switched from 30in corn to 15in corn this year for increased yield, it's like getting 50% more acres for free (you need to expand seed to seed spacing). Do all that while you are looking for more land. More will be available cheaper as the recession and boomer demographics force it.
@@nevinkuser9892 Ground around here is going for 12k+. Would love to, but hard to justify buying any at that price.
@@jvin248 Just 5 acres. Alot of what isn't taken up by buildings, I use to pasture farrow hogs. I used to put sheep on the septic field, and the ram was fenced around the house part of the year, but I shouldn't attempt that with hogs. :D If I were to garden, I'd section off a couple/few acres of what I rent, one field has a hydrant right next to it. I used to do organic corn/beans, so I still have a moldboard plow, rotary hoe, and row cultivator. I sell to a "natural" pork company. You don't get rich, but unless you have high death loss post weaning, you won't lose money. I think I got 1.04/lb. carcass weight on one of my last loads. Thought about direct marketing, but what I've seen from someone that does it around here, it can be a real headache, and volatile. May try it at some point, though.
@@ShermanT.Potter Getting a few acres on credit puts a fire under your ass to get it done. I've done that over the last few years and have aquired a lot of land that way. 12k is not that much considering how much you could make doing intelligent farming methods.
I’m a 20 year old guy from Copenhagen, Denmark. Did not expect to go down the farming RUclips rabbit hole, but kudos to you guys - really interesting stuff!
Im an electrician in the city of Philadelphia, Know nothing about farming but im addicted to your show. Go Eagles!!!
The problem with the crop insurance deal is that ground that should never be row cropped is being grain farmed. When 60, 70 years ago that ground was swamp, pasture, hay ground.
Wealthy and large farms generally receive the most money from farm subsidies. Farm subsidy programs are designed to give the most money to farms with the most acres or crops produced, which are often large monoculture operations. For example, one study found that the largest 10% of farms receive about 60% of subsidies from three large programs, and another study found that the top 10% of farms receive nearly 80% of subsidies. These subsidies are primarily for commodity crops like corn and soy, and the profits often go to entities other than the farmers themselves.
Correct! All of that information is a matter of public record so if you ever wonder how much is getting paid out.
1:18 - Want crispy edges on your pancakes? Put butter on the griddle so that it touches the sides.
It is interesting that you talk about how farmers get a bad rap for getting crop insurance and how people are hard on farmers. I know no other business than farming that is so universally loved by the public. I was the Corporate Research Director at Farm Journal magazine and when I told people what I did, almost universally people told me how much they love farmers. I can't say that for any other field I have been in.
One of those things where is a minority of very loud people getting bent out of shape rather than the broader population
I’m a Canadian farmer. Enjoy listening to your guests on how they got started and how they have expanded. Keep up the good work. Only thing I would do if I was you. Would break up your chats into shorter segments. And hone in on topics. As I rarely ever have enough time to listen full episodes at one sitting. Anyways just some constructive criticism. Don’t take wrong way.
Just hauling grain today, figured I would come hangout.
What are your biggest challenges as a farmer?
I've been hog farming 15 years god it's good to hear people who talk like us
Legend has it that a farmer once won a 15 million dollar lottery. When he was interviewed by the lottery officials, they asked the farmer what he planned to do with his winnings. The farmer looked at him and said nothing, I plan on continuing farming until it's gone.
Cast iron is so easy to clean HOT water and metal scratcher. Done season is just fat rubed on. A flat top is almost the same thing as a cast iron pan.
That's how I do it. I haven't used soap in years.
Sawyer your on the right track, and at the right age to beginning building your wealth. You've got 40+ years, but you've got to begin now by making good decisions.
Put some oil in the skillet. Even a seasoned one.
Love you guys but what about the beef rancher there's no crop insurance or loans available for him.
Enjoy your talks. Very informative and educational for real people by real people. Thank you
Not a farmer but great podcast for general good business sense and personal growth.
we have some locals that did huge solar deals. bringing in about a million a year play money. he is going around renting out acres for huge cash, running out eht neighboring competitors. tehn can come back to teh land owner and say. this doesnt work anymore. and offer 100 a acre since nobody is renting against him. he will set his own price for rent or they can sell out to him. that is FU money
I think you should add how Much government is involved in what you do. Like you cannot grow your own seed.
I remember when there were more independent stores with actual butcher departments. Processing was done by family businesses. There definitely was a difference in the quality and taste of local beef and pork. That's why I like farmer grade, because I know who's growing it. I'm all for family owned small businesses.
Just to be clear..the Insurance Co gets the subsidy..yes the farmer gets the " premium reduction " but the Insurance company gets the $$$
Love the show guys. Would love an opportunity to come on the show one day! You guys are very similar to me and my father
Would you rather be a Capitalist or a Free Marketer? I would argue there is a difference.
Thought y’all hit the nail on the head regarding crop insurance. The cost-sharing of producers premiums by all tax-paying citizens of our country is one of the greatest returns we get from our tax dollars.
Your loans from Farm Credit are also tax payer subsidized since Farm Credit is a tax exempt entity. I have no issue with this for small farmers, but large farms should not enjoy tax exempt financing.
Maybe Farmers Business Network can start working on a farmer driven Coop for livestock processing and marketing to compete? Like you mention, it's going to be near impossible to compete except in niche markets independently.
Started hog farming at 8 with the 2 sows my dad gave me. Over the years grew it myself to 10 sows. (Couldn’t get bigger due to building space). 17 years old trying to start a path into farming. But Had to sell everything last year because I couldn’t get a plant to give me more than 15 cents a pound because I couldn’t contract more than 500 head a year to them. Found it dumb small farmers don’t get a chance.
You would have been better to find a small butcher shop and sell as a boutique farm. Things like “My hogs are well looked after and not exposed to toxic ammonia levels tainting the meats taste” All we’re saying is you just need to market to a different buyer.
We need a written recipe for Tork's old fashion.
The subsidize insurance keeps farmers for going broke does not make them rich, that being said there are those who abuse the system. You can live with out a cell phone you can not live with out agriculture buy local.
Bacon cooked on cast iron, but you have to know what your doing and have a well seasoned pan.
M1 Finance is a good service
Just found you guys.. awesome show! Just subscribed!
I grow fruit and crop insurance is a bit of a scam some people farm the program
I’m in north central Iowa I was replacing injectors the one week we had to plant.. another 2 inches expected today I doubt I’ll have the hay in before June at this rate
I swear this episode is almost identical to an old one. Weird feeling, like hard deja vu going on
Watching from Alberta.
Yes compared to the average person
So all the little pigs sold to the secondary market, would make higher quality bacon than a 300 pounder?
Awesome show
Cooking bacon in the oven is the best!
The LWE system is super interesting to me. My wife and I are putting up a bedpack cattle barn this summer, we'll retain some outdoor lots with a catch pond for solid runoff and water. Do you think a system like that could work for an open air pit?
Have to ask as you mentioned farmer grade meat. I know that the cost is going to be higher buying local meat and having it processed vs buying commercial. I typically get 2 hogs and a 1/2 beef a year. However many people imo see the local price and say well why would I do that. Food for thought, you need to do a podcast or even video about the benefit of buying farmer vs commercial. That cooler and coats cost ya around 7 figures 😂. I'm about 8 miles from psi/12 from kats so very familiar with the things/ places you're speaking of
farming seems like digging yourself into a huge whole and slowly digging yourself out or going into huge debt
Cowboys has done 💩 since they installed a Salary Cap. The only reason they won Super Bowls was they spent more money. The best thing that happened out of that was Jerry Jones thought he could be a General Manager and is drafting players and deciding on who to keep 😂
If your gonna keep the ethereum you should just stake it and make some extra for just holding
Tyson doesn't hire them directly through a 3rd party which can be shut down and another one pops up. The same thing was happening in Iowa. It has been a problem for decades - Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush... All of them
Why are you a cowboys fan? From Iowa?
TikTok is going nowhere
Farmers and ranchers get 90/10 loans
Are farmers wealthy? Hell yes they are
No farms no food no future
Land rich , equipment poor .
Two cups of sugar. Lol. Somewhere something changed for all you Germans who moved to the Midwest. From barely sweet in the old country to nothing but sugar and more sugar, here😂
I'm 64, and I'm so tired of having to "adapt" to every new change in this world.
Tractors cost $400,000, yes your wealthy. Your also trained to hide the money.
And that's bullshit! Why do i have to subsidize some rich guys insurance for his mansion on the beach..
Because the NFIP is broke. And they know it. Now even places in X500s are going to have to subsidize places in flood zones. Like most things in this country, it's a mess.
That's a good question. If the government would get out of the crop insurance then some marginal ground would go back to pasture or swamp where it belongs.
Farmers feed America. They need to prevent famine and starvation. It’s happened to plenty of countries.
Extremely wealthy but cash poor. The land if owned by the farmer is usually worth millions.
Not always. It would have to be thousands of acres.
@@nevinkuser9892 Not at all haha
@@nevinkuser9892 sheet.....300 acres x 6000 per acre in Missouri Is 1.4 mil after cap gains tax.
@@davehughesfarm7983 Sure, that's overpriced though.
110 acres near me in Southern MN is going for $1.2 million with only 44 acres of it being tillable..
West Texas dry land cotton farmers are working for a loss. Not much diversity here. Keep on trucking guys!
😮
Grew up on a cattle farm.
Every time I hear/see someone claim that "farmers are rich, because they drive a nice truck, or have nice equipment"...I just shake my head at their ignorance.
Tell that to the pig farmer from Missouri who has a multi million dollar vacation home in southwest Florida on water and a million dollar yacht docked out back…there’s tons of very very wealthy “farmers” and cash crop growers
RAI!DERS!!!!
Some spot and fruit y’all rich????$$$&
WEDEMBOYS will eventually get a team worth a crap again. But this year isnt looking like it'll be the year.
Trump sent $30 billion of welfare to (red state) farmers. Selective memories 😂
The question is how much of that actually made it to the farmers…
@@Beyonder8335 $30 billion.
@@user-mi5ws7sf3u doubful. This is the government we’re talking about here. Even if it did though, with the amount of farms in the US that comes out to only about $15k per farm on avg.
@@user-mi5ws7sf3u being this is the government we’re dealing with I have my doubts. Even if that were the case though, with the amount of farms in the US that comes out to like $15k a piece on average.
@@Beyonder8335 The money primarily went to red state farmers. Regardless, $15,000 or $15. If you can't make it without handouts then get out of farming.
The successful farmers will gladly fill the void.
The federal government pays for between 60-65% on average of crop insurance premiums.
So the big guys who can buy imputscheap then they get the cheap mi dset and sell cheap willi g.