When I bought my shares we were not able to cash flow a profit. Things were different, not really, yes the numbers were smaller but any time i have made a capitol purchase there were slim margins if any at all. We all have to have someone who has an influence on our careeer be it a landowner, parent or partner that provides some subsidy to get going, its always been that way. Many want to proclaim to be self made but somewhere someone made a differance, even if it was just an opportunity. While i agree we need more new growers and older growers need make shares availible, its not that simple. My generation (not me but my age group) saw beet shares as a better investment than land and therefore many have there whole lifes work tied up in beet stock. Unfortunatly many of those same familys have become used to a lifelsyle that they cannot afford but have done so because of an artificial income stream that they have become used to. Take it away for a year and they will be selling stock very quickly and in panic mode. I have no idea who you are wether you are my age or younger (most are ;) ) but wait till march there will be panic sales made. I firmly believe ACSC stock will trade at $1000 by spring, currently there is over 2000 shares availible in the GF area and the annual meeting has yet to take place. This happened not so long ago, not to this extreme but prior to Katrina things didnt look very promising and i have friends that paniced and sold at 1400 and 850 respectively. Today, neither is farming and are selling land that they inherited, like it or not this is beet country and corn is not going to replace that until our factorys no longer are cost effective. That is the bigger problem facing the sugar industry in the RRV