| This will be an unpopular statement. But, artificial inflation of land prices by guberment subsidies, crop insurance, etc is really not something to defend for the "young farmer."
Let's say (and I'm just going to throw out made up round numbers for very easy figuring, but not totally unrealistic ones) that guberment influences an 80 acre tract by $50/ac annually, and $1000 face value auction price. So, the young farmer looking to buy his first 80 has to generate at least $80,000 of additional AFTER tax revenue to purchase that small farm than what the simple value of it's productivity is. Somebody please explain to me how this situation in any way benefits the young man or woman with minimal assets more than it does the other bidder who owns 2,000 acres free and clear. |