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cropsey, il 61731 | Assuming that most farms are inefficient is probably not correct. We could get into all kinds of comparisons on costs/acre for equipment, fertility, etc. However, on highly productive land it seems to take more than a blanket approach to managment to maximize profits. How many folks feel comfortable letting the 18 yr old with no experience run the planter? I had someone besides my wife run the finisher last year and quickly talked her back into the saddle. While I have some land that is more or less no brainer, much of it only has potential if I manage it right (I do know how to it wrong). I think this experience is pretty universal and larger operations usually point out their success is based on having a very good set of people running the operation and the machinery (big family, smart folks who work well together, etc) - these operations' size seems to depend on the number of partners involved. I'm not sure large western farm practices are a good fit here and there are good reasons it hasn't become the norm (it's not the romance with the family farm).
Also, it's not just what you are used to - it's what works. With far less labor I grow far more pigs in a year than was the norm 20 yrs ago. I can expand further, but I do raise my risk - if my integrator turns muslum I currently have long list of possible replacement integrators. If I'm 4x my size, that list is much smaller and the payment much larger - I'm not sure I'd ever have deep enough pockets for that possibility.
Certainly some have personal issues with large operations like these and perhaps rightly so. However, the issue is whether or not this works, what kind of problems do they face. Are the keys to profitable operation completely different at this scale (maybe yield is less of an issue - couldn't imagine that, but it might be true). On the surface this model seems to ignore things that many of us feel we learned not to ignore the hard way. It's not just tractors, combines, fertilizer, land and seed that create success it's how these are used.
Thinking that all farmers are inept and won't accept 'go big or go home' is probably missing the point. I've found that there are generally good reason why certain practices are not quickly adopted and it's expensive learning that lesson on your own. So, studying the pros and cons of IFF type operations is no different than studying no-til. Unless you think all decisions are clear cut and easy - then you just don't know enough.
Thanks, Pat
Edited by Pat H 4/12/2009 17:59
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IL Family Farms
