To Crop Or Not To Crop By Bob Linnell, P.Ag. Though not in the realm of Shakespeare, that is the question on the minds of many that attempt o farm in tough times. While others are looking into the possibilities of grassing down some acres, and others are renegotiating their lease arrangements to more fairly reflect the times, and their operating abilities, some are simply deciding if they can afford to plant a crop. This is not a pretty picture, and involves a lot of gut-wrenching decisions, especially when you have to consider a family and a way of life. These are all troubling thoughts that surface from time to time, and maybe they are simply a cyclical thing, or as some would believe, are the fault of Government not caring about the situation existing at a place they cannot see when they look out their windows.
Lets look at some basic facts.
This country has cheap food, when compared to others, and often seems removed from objectively reviewing the situation. Many farmers have been investigating the production of non-traditional crops that have a demand in other parts of the world, and then get smacked in the face with high freight bill deductions. Fuel costs are rising, input cost of production are rising, and as happened in 1975, when the price of wheat and durum did rise, they saw the price of farm machinery rise 3 times over that year, and never did come back down, when the following year experienced a lowering of wheat prices. Either decision can be a shock and can have ramifications on your future. The secret of analyzing any crop production plan, is to figure out the contribution level of that crop, and then decide if it is an option for you on your farm.