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NC | I was hopeful that cattle would be able to push back against everything trying to hold them down.
I am losing hope after this last turn back.
Cash price for calves is following it down this time-- not a good sign.
It doesn't help that my daughter has gotten her permit- so we are driving all over with me having nothing to do but look around.
Fences are getting old, not many new ones being built, and lots where they just quit fixing and got rid of the cows.
Farm houses/barns/pens/pastures in disrepair, general lack of upkeep.
Small businesses closed everywhere- others are looking unkept. Two new businesses tried to come into the area and where shut out by the urbanites.
Empty chicken/hog houses everywhere.
For sale signs are everywhere- and they are not bright and shiny looking anymore. Urbanites have quit buying, farmers have no money/mindset to expand.
I have gotten four calls in the last week from oldtimers- wanting to know if holding their calves on feed (for the first time ever) would work and how to go about it. That will kill my business if too many cow/calf guys go that way or get out completely.
Two lumber yards shut down-- timber market is bad. Thats what we counted on when cattle got bad to keep our area going.
Two chicken companies shut down and dismantled-- thats really going to hurt the cattle in our area. We are very dependent on chicken manure to keep the pastures going.
Taxes shot up over the last 10 years. Thanks to urban farmettes moving in over the last twenty years. Doesn't matter that land values have plummeted over the last two years-- no dropping the taxes back down. They are due in Jan, afraid that might be the push for more for sale signs going up.
If meat prices don't go up soon- I am afraid my area is going to dry up and die.
Edited by Howdyjabo 11/28/2012 12:27
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cattle futures
