Sorry but I think most of what I read is wrong. Here's why!
I used to live in WI. and traveled it allot, I saw lots of wooded area's all over the place, all those woods are available land! ALL of the state was probably woods at one time or another so the woods DO count as land.
Much of Ohio is corn area rather they plant it or not! Lots of woods that could be farm land there also. What about all those millions of acres we hear about forest fires burning down every year, more available land!
Tons of land here in MO., and AR. not being used for anything, could be farming corn on it, instead I see a 1,000 acres get bulldozed and used for cattle grazing instead.
Beef prices just keep raising anyway, even though they are mostly feed on free grass.
Went to the sale barn the other day, grazing cattle prices were up, not fed corn so corn prices don't matter there.
Grass is not free by the way, it cost money for lots of stuff for grazing lands, FUEL is a big part of the costs! It takes fuel to fertilize the pastures running the tractors, cost of fertilizer is up. Sometimes the pastures need brush hogged to cut down unwanted tree growth, more fuel!
Lot's of good farm or pasture lands around here are growing up with small trees now because the lands NOT being used, just sitting there growing wild!
We do need to keep wooded areas and not cut them all down of course, but try telling that to people building such great things as golf courses and cemataries.
What is the percentage of people that play golf? What is the percentage of people that drive cars? There you go, lots of available land right there! LOL
Corn costs are only a small part of the cost of milk! That Milk price is no indicator at all!
My daughters boyfriend is part of a Dairy Farm family. They pay more for Gasolene, more for electric, cost more for fuel to have corn delivered or drive to buy it, etc.. etc..
It costs more for everything now just to live, so their only income is the dairy farm, where do you think they will get the money to live on at the higher cost of living? PROPANE has gone from $0.79 a few years ago to about $1.85 now, price of corn has nothing to do with cost of heating their house, but the cost of the milk is what pays for the propane! They have to get the money to pay to heat the house this winter, that comes from the sales of the milk!
So the milking machines use the same amount of electric today as last year, but the rates just went up here so now it costs more to milk the cows and refrigerate the milk etc.. Nothing at all to do with corn cost!
I don't know how the milk is transported exactly but that truck will use fuel that costs allot more than a couple years ago, also I think it's refrigerated in transport so more fuel costs also.
If they drive the 40mile trip to buy feed, that gas for the truck now costs around $3 a gallon compared to $1.30 a few years ago. I don't know how much gas they use but it costs over 2 times as much for it! If they pay to have the feed delivered then they are still paying higher fuel costs, also the drivers pay has gone up, cost more to maintain the trucks, etc.. etc.. so delivery charges are UP!!
Concrete has NOTHING to do with corn, I just got a estimate for a truckload. Costs over $5 a yard MORE now and delivery charge is allot higher also.
Back to milk, Ok they graze the dairy cows allot more than they feed corn. I checked the price of corn here just now. For what I paid about $7 100lbs for a couple years ago it now costs about $9 100lb. A big $2 increase in corn costs compared to $1.70 increase in gasolene! Guess what, YES it takes them more gasolene to run a dairy farm than it does corn!!! They may use diesel also but that's the same as gasolene as far as cost increase!
Now why has that corn raised in price $2 100lb. Could it be all the other increases in costs effect that also, not just corn prices based on supply? The farm store has to pay more for electric now with the rate increases, the employees have been getting raises so it cost more for workers, it costs more for fuel for the trucks, parts cost more for repairs etc.. ect..
I just checked the costs on some steel parts I used to use from same farm store, they went up $1-$4 each depending which part, so the increase costs of steel parts is 50%-200% compared to the increased cost of corn which was $2.
Steel itself has nothing to do with corn of course but comparing parts cost increases, steel parts UP $1-$4 compared to corn UP $2. A farm does need repair parts at times for various things, add that to cost of milk also.
Potatoes were mentioned, OK, used to be $1 for a 10lb bag of potatoes but now over $2! I also like Onions, was $0.99 for 3lb bag but now about $1.80 for same bag.
What does this have to do with corn, not much!
Figure in all the things like Gas, diesel, propane, potatoes, onions, etc... that have MORE than doubled in costs, then look at milk prices! MILK has NOT doubled in price yet, though it's heading that way now and maybe allot more!
All these MILK farmers use Gas, diesel, propane, potatoes, onions, etc... and though they been paying double the costs for such things the cost of the milk has not doubled to keep up! None of this has to do with corn prices or alky fuel, just if the dairy farmers want to live equally well today as they did 2 years ago the prices are going to have to go up on Milk, the cows don't give more milk just because it costs 2 times as much to live!!
As for corn prices, again figure in all the costs of fuel etc..!!
Corn does not just grow well all by itself and walk to market!
With fuel WAY over double what it used to be, it costs far more to grow anything on a farm using tractors and other equipment on Gasolene or Diesel. Corn oil and Alky used for fuel instead of DINO can help bring down those fuel costs for farming. Bringing down the fuel costs can also help keep prices lower, though all the other costs are still higher, like repairs or new tractors etc..
Have you priced a small diesel tractor recently? Their just plain nuts!!
I may be getting a free small junk Kabota 4 wheel drive tractor, I looked to see what a new one like it might cost, I almost had a heart attack!
If your living comes from farming corn, that corn has to pay all those high costs of farming, also has to keep up with the higher cost of living which is going up way to fast with the higher costs of fuels driving it!
And CORN is not the only thing you can make alky fuel from, there are many other things, most people only think corn if you mention alky fuel to them. Plain sugar works well also.
Sugar beats are supposed to be good also. Some types of wild growing plants are decent. If it's high in sugar it could probably be used.
Except for the desert stuff grows wild everywhere, just need to find the right stuff or plant it. Plant it and it will grow. Plant the right crops for the area.
Another thing is looking into plant scraps. Sure ears of corn may be good, but is there any useable scraps? What about those husks, the stocks, stuff that gets thrown out or plowed under normally. Is there any useable sugars in those stocks and leaves that is not food?
