Falling corn prices threaten Midwest agricultural economy
 

Daily Sun Sub-heading: "High yield puts cost of crop at lowest levels in 4 years" (Sept 17, 2014)

Cost per bushel of corn in 2012...........$7.00

Cost per bushel of corn in 2013............$6.00

Cost per bushel of corn in 2014.............$3.60

And some think the price could go lower yet.

If I'm not mistaken, I seem to remember Monsanto defending the use of genetically engineered corn by saying bigger crops would feed the world. They said something to the effect that there are a lot of starving people in poor countries and this would save lives.

Now we have a record crop of corn at just about 1/2 the price it was a few years ago and the story has changed. In a big half page article, there wasn't one word about how wonderful it will be to be able to feed the world with this bumper crop of inexpensive corn. It was nothing but complaining about not being able to make enough money. Farmers might be lucky to just break even.

Where's Monsanto? They weren't interviewed for this article.

How was feeding the world supposed to happen? Does anyone know? Not that I stay up at night worrying about it, but we now have GM corn which we didn't want in the first place and people are still starving? Does anyone know what's going on?

I don't, but for once (!) I am in your corner on this, VPL. Don't faint. One reason so many farmers in MI switched to corn was because they could make more $$ selling it for ethanol. Everyone was jumping on the bandwagon there the last few years. We haven't eaten corn on the cob in a few years due to not being able to identify the source.

I don't buy ANY GM food IF I can ID it and worry about what we've eaten that is and we didn't know it. Even our peanut butter claims to be from non GM peanuts.

Maybe people would rather starve than eat genetically modified corn.

I'd rather just not eat fish than eat tilapia and other farm raised fish.

I feel faint, I could use a glass of water.

Ha ha! Make sure the water is pure!

Farm-land prices have dropped to nearly 1/2 of what they were a year ago due to the price of commodities.

I'm with you when it comes to rejecting farm raised fish. And I don't eat corn anymore, especially due to the fact that there are so many better choices.

"Among U.S. farmers, corn is king — more acres of corn are planted each year than any other crop.

But little of that corn is sweet corn that ends up directly on your plate. Nearly half of all domestic corn use is devoted to creating ethanol, a gasoline additive whose use is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency....."

Futures File: EPA adjustment on ethanol mandate drives down corn prices | CJOnline.com

.
We live in a GLOBAL Economy.

Chinese health ministry says GenMod Corn presents a health risk.
China is refusing to buy OUR Genetically Modified Corn (think Monsanto) .

From Oct 01 2013 to Oct 01 2014
145 Million long tons of US Corn that would have gone to China has
no place to go. ( a long ton is 2240 pounds, a Bushel is 56 pounds )

The IRS in USA now has special provisions for Corn Growers.

Our Export of Corn is DOWN 85% since Oct 2013.

Brazil banned GenMod corn from entering their seed corn stream.
China now buys Corn from Brazil. (and other non-GMO countries)

Even Zambia refuses to buy our GenMod Corn.
.

Some people from USA bought farm land in Brazil 30+ years ago.
Land prices in Brazil were less than $60. per acre.
It is over $ 7000. per acre today.
The Bettter land is even higher.

Since Brazil BANS all GMO seeds from entering their country,
I see land in Brazil holding value and USA land prices falling.
Of course IF USA forces MORE Corn into our Gasoline
we may see a stop to further USA land price losses.

The total cost of an acre of land in Brazil WAS less the than
the yearly $ taxes on the land in USA.

Did not take a Rocket Surgeon or Brain Scientist to figure out
where to sell and where to buy land.

Of course the Two to Three Crops per year and topsoil
5 to 12 feet deep helps a bit, also.

Genetic modified foods have been around for a very long time. Our world population has exceeded early predictions and it will continue to grow especially in underdeveloped countries. Farm technology is a good thing and will keep the world growing population fed. This is another one of those divided issues. The oceans resources are being depleted, the amount of land for agriculture fixed technology has to progress. Finding better ways to raise herds ,etc essential. I have been eating genetic modified corn etc and so far I haven't grown breasts. so I think I'll continue.

P.S. I will be disappointed if some of you don't come back with all the horribles that will be created from Franken foods.


Personal Best Regards

Ethanol incentives for food crops was a disaster waiting to happen from the beginning.

IF you are eating Corn Based Products made in USA, you have 99% chance
it is GenMod.

Our farm economy depends on Exports to other countries.
GenMod products made here are no longer wanted in some other countries

>>>

Back to the main subject

Don't famers buy crop insurance ?
protecting them from price fluctuations
I maybe 100% wrong

Well you're only 50% wrong :icon_wink: Farmers do buy crop insurance, but the coverage is to protect them from natural perils, most commonly flood or drought.

I know a dairy farmer who has a home here who is able to buy insurance to protect his business from milk price fluctuations in his home state.

Couldn't I have been 50% right :jester:

Washington Post 1/28/14 -- "This week, Congress will vote on a massive farm bill that will set the course of U.S. food policy for the next half-decade. The old farm bill expired in 2012, and its replacement (pdf) is 959 pages long, costing some $956.4 billion over 10 years.

So what’s actually in it? I've made a pie chart below to outline the basics….."

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...1&d=1412536519

The $956 billion farm bill, in one graph - The Washington Post

The Farm Bill had price supports for the dairy industry retained - thanks to lobbyists. So, if you think milk is overpriced at the grocery store, thank a lobbyist and the congressmen that were paid off.

The Farm Bill also took away 8 billion dollars in food stamps for the needy.

So, rubicon, you put it to the breast test and it passed? I guess that makes you a scientist. :boom:

What about a pesky thing known as "gene transfer"? Hardier corn has led to hardier weeds known as "Super Weeds". These super weeds can't even be killed with Roundup weed killer. The natural balance of nature has been lost, thanks to the know-it-all genetic engineers.

Not only that, the GMO seeds have been migrating into their next-door neighbors' natural seed land.

A couple years ago the corn crop was poor and the price of meat sky rocketed due to having a shortage of food for the animals. Corn for animals and corn for humans requires the same conditions. If it is a good corn crop, does that mean it will be less to feed the animals and meat prices will drop?

Unless your corn has many colors of kernels and very crooked rows (what is referred to as Indian corn), then it has been genetically modified.
Straight rows and uniform colors are indicative of this type of genetic modification, and it happened even before there was a company named Monsanto!

Who's we?

Genetic modification happens naturally as plants evolve just as animals do. The hardiest survive. I do not think there is danger from eating genetically modified food.

If the farmers can't make money growing corn this year, maybe they should just plant something else. Soybeans perhaps.
Blame the market, not Monsanto.
But that's not part of the agenda here.

Gracie hits the nail on the head again.

Soybeans are GM also. The reason they are GM is to be able to withstand all the roundup, herbicides,and pesticides. The residue is in your food.

Yes, natural genetic modification happens but only very small changes happen over tens of thousands of years.

I was kinda wondering what experience or education makes you a scientist too and since you ask rubicon? Grew corn for many years, hybrids became popular in our area in the late 50s and early 60s, Dekalb 805 was a really good one we used a lot. We plowed the ground for planting and cultivated the corn then to kill the weeds etc. before no till came along. This required numerous trips over the ground. We also had to put poison on the seed in the corn planter bin to keep cutworms away from the seed and young corn plants and had to spray mainly for cutworms and flea beetles once the corn came up.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/timeline/corn.htm

This story clip appeared as "Hybrid Corn", published in the Yearbook of Agriculture, 1962.

Besides an increase in production, other benefits have been achieved by the use of hybrid seed. Hybrids make more efficient use of applied fertilizer. Progress has been made in developing hybrids resistant to some insects and diseases; the result is a product of higher quality and a more stable yearly production. Because of their greater uniformity in maturity and resistance to lodging, the hybrids have helped make large-scale mechanization possible.