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| Looks to me like the 80's were better than now. If you had some cash. I made decent money farming in the 80's. The problem was high interest ate every ones lunch in the early part. Then bankers got scared and shut the money off.
I remember growing corn and having $1.00 a bushel in it. Sold it for $1.60 plus got some LDP and I think about $40-$50 government payment an acre. Compare that to now when I have $3.48 a bushel in it with a cash price of $3.40. No LDP and I may or may not get a government check.
I didn't farm in the 70's but some years must have had huge margins. Inputs would have to have been low. Some from memory were $40 ton NH. Seed would have been less than $5 an acre. Most used few or no chemicals. We did use more diesel but
even 10 gallon an acre at $.05 is only 50 cents. I would guess that during most of that time a crop could have been put in for $40 or less with probably more $30 for machinery expense. Most land was share rent. Dad and Grandpa Usually made around 150-170 bu corn. I remember the local elevator calling and telling me to tell Dad corn was $3.56. From theses numbers things had to have been pretty good in the 70's. Just quick figures $40 for inputs, $60 for machinery cost ( remember you have to farm 2 acres for one to be yours. So you have $100 an acre in it and figure $3.00 for corn and 150 yield gives $450 gross. That leaves $350 an acre net! Pretty good when a new pickup is $4000! | |
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I will just say it!!
