On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 13 at 12:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

what part of our posts are not factual? Sure officerfriendly has hard facts off one web site, but he does not have a clue about farming and I would tend to think ben you don't either (even if your family had a farm at one point doesn't mean you understand). The only reason I have not quit on the issue is because you people are so narrow minded against agriculture. You can't see past the $'s and the fact that people in our industry have feelings as well. Just remember one of the largest contributors to Wisconsin's economy is Agriculture and our country's ag exports are better than any industry out there. You won't be importing all your food from over seas.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 13 at 9:01 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

The reason those crops are not grown to a large extent in this area is due to the fact they do not thrive well here with our climate. Weather is a big factor and causes a lot of winterkill and disease issues for wheat as an example. The crops you listed are better well suited to areas like Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc...

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 13 at 7:05 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

one last thing the $300,000 your are confused about is the difference between your numbers of $17.1 million and $16.8 million in taxes. That would be a payout of about $100,000 per year. That is not that much in the big picture. Also those years had higher subsidies due to crop failure, low prices and other factors. In 2006 and 2007 those number sould be very different. These are your numbers I did not check them. As for taxes farms are like any other business with depreciation and expenses. However, Individually we have to pay income tax just like everyone else. That is it for me I have better things to do. Hope you can look past the government issue and still be friends with you farm nieghbors. Just remember we support many organizations in our communities and businesses as well. I don't know what you do for a living but I hope you enjoy what you do.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 13 at 6:50 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

You can't find anyone to work around here for less than $8 per hour or more. I wouldn't think of paying anyone less than $8-$10 per hour. You really have no idea what it takes to run a farm these days. You only see what you think is wrong done to you by subsidies. I would challenge you to walk in a farmers shoes. High stress, long hours, various government rules, high costs of inputs, uncertanty, and high cost of health insurance. I love what I do. If the government deams it fit to give farmers subsidies so be it. That is not my call and no I will not drive down the road and give it away. You can tell your politicians to take away the money. I'm tired of people like you thinking farmers just get free money and don't work for it and all we do is grow crops for nothing but fun. This is my business and no the government will not bail us out if we fail. Why do you think farms are sold and go bankrupt. I think the government should stay out of the farm industry to an extent. That way the farms that are being supported by the gov would have to sell out,mainly to larger farms. This would give our farm more acres to rent and the ability to get larger. I see this is what you want. I am done wasting my time with people like you, you don't have all the facts and you don't have anything to do with ag except eat.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 12 at 5:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Life. Your figures may be correct, however it doesn't take into account fed tax paid by employees of farms. $300,000 is not bad for a 3 yr period. Wait till the next two years come out I bet that number will be the other way. No matter what I say you will always want the last word. I just hope you change you log in name, you don't seem friendly at all. I see you have spent a lot of time on the farming issue, maybe you should step back and look at how the government wastes your money in worse ways.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 12 at 5:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

WOW You are really against farmers and would rather starve. Federal tax is not the only tax we pay. I'm tired of your narrow minded view have a good live.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 12 at 12:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

So will you give your check from the government back in May? I think not. Our farm is large, however it is still a family farm. You should look up the definition of subsidy = a grant by a government to a private person or company to assist an enterprise deemed advantageous to the public. (websters dictionary) I have wasted enough time trying to explain why farmers take subsidies with you. Obviously you will never consider the other side and that is the real problem with people these days. No, I will not thank you for our gov payments, because we pay taxes just like everyone else. Maybe you should start thanking the American farmer for having one of the safest food supplies in the world.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 11 at 8:55 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

The definition of welfare does not fit farm subsidies, in that most farms are able to support themselves. Go ahead and take away the payments, however if all your nieghbors are taking them then why not take them yourself. Also as a large farm we pay property tax, soc sec, medicare, income tax, and various other taxes (ss & Medicare are double that of an Individual). So don't think for a minute we don't pay our share of taxes. After these comments I will not waste my time with someone who is bitter toward the American farmer.

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 6 at 5:31 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Don't even compare the welfare system to farm subsidies. As a larger crop farm in Rock County, we have discussed numerous times the down falls with the government subsidy program. Without the subsidy, we would be finacially sound. But you need to understand the subsidy program is all relative to production. And yes- this is where your large farmer will receive more money but they are also producing more and subsequently are carrying more debt. I would love to figure out some way where we could help out the smaller farmers because they too contribute to our economy and our agricultural productivity. Unfortunately there is no easy solution and handing out money shouldn't be the answer. Our family hit the hard economic times of the early 80's and lost half of what they had. It has taken us 20+ years of hard work to get where we are and we still aren't where we were back then. All I have to say is don't judge and point your finger at the larger farmers. Plus if we were really raking in the cash off the subsidies, I'm wondering why I'm not somewhere warm right now missing all this snow and why my husband is stuck in our office at the farm not able to get home to our family. He may only cash crop but in order to pay the bills, out farm has had to diversify and create other ways to make income during our "down" time. Yup- its a year round job for us too!

On Hog farmers face challenges

Posted on February 6 at 8:46 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Officerfriendly- if you understood the whole farm process and they way government subsidies work, you would have a leg to stand on. And as for organic- it would be nice if we could all farm that way but lets face it- its not practical for us. There are too many places where our crops go- food, clothes, different by-products we use everyday.... and there is no way we could keep up with the demand based on the FEWER bushels organic produces. If you think prices are high right now, see what going organic would do to that price... up, up and away!

And again about the prices. It's all relative. We may be getting a higher price right now, but inputs costs have risen atleast 25-50% so really that "extra" we should be making with the price is actually going to pay for the increased input prices. This goes the same for any producer who raises animals. If you saw how many pounds of feed it takes for one dairy cow to get a pound of milk and translate that into cost vs. income, you would truly understand.

And by the way, government subsidies are not a guarantee especially with the price increases which is good. Their true intentions are to help the ag industry when prices are down but yet costs are still high. And really, farmers don't get anymore tax breaks or incentives than your businesses. We are all in the same boat- paying taxes and trying to survive! Unfortunately its a game we all have to play no matter what your views are.