Not many things scare me, but

[BA Deere]

The fertilizer price gouging is the fact there`s only a handful of companies that control the supply.  And the one of a very few things that adds value in the global economy is production agriculture, which requires crop inputs.   Everyone in the world from those planting with a sharpened stick pulled by a water buffalo to those with a 36 row planter is scrambling for the stuff.

[rsbs]

a $60 11Lx15 implement tire is now $200, if you can get any....belts are backordered...the economic effects of the lockdowns are going to reverberate for a long time, just like ripples from a rock thrown into a lake.

The 60 year old that BA mentioned that has done the math and found that working for some cash jobs for $10000 a year beats being legit, making $50000, and having to pay health insurance, federal and state taxes etc is absolutely out there...I know of some.

It's a melluva hess as my cousin would say.

[k-289]

Can  one  imagine  what  $4  /  lb.  ground  beef  cost  would  be  on  a  Pacific  Rim  grocery  shelve  after  $hipping  container  &  handling  backlogs ,  with  a  ''' just 2 costly  ''',  point  of  origin ,  USDA  label  on  it  - ? 

  Curiosity  has  some  asking  if someone  like  XPO  Logistics  could  arrange  a  rush  order  through  the  US  Post  Office  maybe , to  expedite ,  move  things  along ,   and  alleviate  these  Ports  of  Entry  backlogs   -  -  - 

Any  updates  on  the '''  not  kidding  around  ''' closures  of  the  Ports  Of  Entry  on  the  US - Mexico  border  that  was  professed  a  while  back  in  March  of  2019  -  ? 

[bruce MN]

At 60? 

Pencils out better at 65, but under that you are on your own for health care. 

At 10K you better own your abode or have good friends and relatives.

Your view sorta validates what a ag banker in your neck of the woods told me rather long ago, as farming operations were getting bigger. He basically said that the sheer volume of money handled in an operation leaves family living, household and transportation expenses etc. almost nominal inside of the greater number in the expense column.  

If he was right about anything it surely has created a situation in the proprietary production ag culture where having even the slightest grasp on what middle and lower class wage employment folks face. 

But, by dumb luck or for some reason or other, you got a buttload of them intertwined into a political movement with you. 

[BA Deere]

Some`ve done the math and taking it at 62 makes sense for them.  Perhaps they have a pension, maybe wife is younger with decent job, ect.   But, there`s ways of hustling under the table, have a Mennonite watermelon stand every Thursday in the old Shopko parking lot, sell stuff at flea markets, ect ect all cash, uncle doesn`t have to know about.   

All through the scamdemic those fast food joints in Clear Lake were open dining, then when it simmered down a friend and I were gonna eat at Arbys, "drive through only" I asked the young girl at the window "Why aren`t ANY of these places open for dining, the scamdemic is kinda done?"  Well, she said "this one took early retirement, that one is collecting gov`t money ect ect" .  The way I figure it, the scamdemic got many workers deciding to "smell the roses" , perhaps they technically could retire, but worked 5 hours a day for something to do and $50 extra a day  in pocket change.  Well, everyone`s ideas kind of changed in the last 18 months.  Old goat workers really retiring left a worker shortage.

[k-289]

Seems,  your  too  old  to  work ,  isn't  working  out  so  well ,  and  if  we  could  only  get  a  position  on  one  of  those  boards  of  directors ,  and  not  the  volunteer  ones like  church,  school ,  etc.  -  rather,  like  on  those  ag  companies  that  hire  ex-politicians  , maybe - - -   

[sdholloway56]

Cattle prices aren't particularly good and everybody else along the chain is pulling out strong margins.

Yes, would be very concerning should the dang gubmint do something.

Next thing you know the commies will go after the fertilizer oligopoly.

And then, the Gulag!

[wrightcattle]

Manure is Real fertilizer.... Just in case you have not figured it out. 

Rotate some crops use some manure. 

Also some sweet clover plow down or some alfalfa. 

You can always take a 1st cutting then plant to corn or beans. 

Or some buckwheat to activate soil is always helpful. 

[sdholloway56]

There are some exceptions but doesn’t work that great with the 5k acre crop farm model.

[wrightcattle]

Maybe you should quit and go back to school. 

It works with most All supposed farm models. 

Size don't matter Volume and Management Do.