Amish Country
Well-known member
USDA Predicts Record Farm Receipts As Private Analysts Predict Smaller U.S. Crop
posted on September 2, 2011
"USDA predicts receipts from farm commodities will jump 18 percent over 2010 levels. Stripped out, crop values are expected to rise 19 percent and hit $206.5 billion while livestock sales are expected to increase 16 percent to a total of $163.8 billion."
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Article summation: Prices of commodities and the land needed to produce them are going up. In my area much ag land that was formally in pasture or fodder crops have been plowed under and planted in corn. According to a local Amish gentleman I talked who deals in farm equipment the demand for corn for ethanol is driving this.
This is effecting the price of fodder locally. Bales of hay (orchard grass & timothy) are more expensive. The price of decent alfalfa has more than doubled since last year. Any farmer who cannot produce their own feed and fodder may have trouble carrying their stock through the winter. Prices for animals on the hoof are up at the local sales barns.
I'm looking for decreases in local milk and cheese production as dairy herds are turned into hamburger and dog food.
- AC
posted on September 2, 2011
"USDA predicts receipts from farm commodities will jump 18 percent over 2010 levels. Stripped out, crop values are expected to rise 19 percent and hit $206.5 billion while livestock sales are expected to increase 16 percent to a total of $163.8 billion."
*********
Article summation: Prices of commodities and the land needed to produce them are going up. In my area much ag land that was formally in pasture or fodder crops have been plowed under and planted in corn. According to a local Amish gentleman I talked who deals in farm equipment the demand for corn for ethanol is driving this.
This is effecting the price of fodder locally. Bales of hay (orchard grass & timothy) are more expensive. The price of decent alfalfa has more than doubled since last year. Any farmer who cannot produce their own feed and fodder may have trouble carrying their stock through the winter. Prices for animals on the hoof are up at the local sales barns.
I'm looking for decreases in local milk and cheese production as dairy herds are turned into hamburger and dog food.
- AC