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Townsend, Montana | The term "free trade" makes me yawn nowadays. Gets thrown out buy lots of people that have never actually experienced free trade. Find me a market that isn't regulated by government in some way, shape, or form, and I'll show you free trade. I'll wait.
The hay market is about as close as you can get to true "free trade". Completely "decentralized" (was never centralized to start with). You simply have producers, end user's, and brokers. Minimal regulations of any kind.
It can be rough and tumble from time to time. But I far prefer it to any other market. I have never signed a single contract for hay in my life. No act of God clauses. No force manures (majeures). Bill of lading? Never heard of her. Straight up handshake deals and word of mouth. Nothing more, nothing less.
Grain marketing sucks in comparison.
Western US seems to thrive on it. We have our ups and downs, but the smallest farmers in my area grow hay - not grain.
YMMV
Edited by 1972RedNeck 4/14/2025 23:51
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what i`ve observed about free trade.
