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Challenging times are nothing new in agriculture.
I actually see a brighter future ahead for agriculture; for the first time in many decades, there are a lot of young adults who are looking at the life of a farmer as something that appeals to them very much.
I don't disagree on challenging times, and I sincerely hope you're correct on the future, but as someone interested in becoming much more involved in agriculture, I am pessimistic. The upfront costs to get involved seem to me to be a non-starter except for independently wealthy people or corporations that have significant cash/credit available to them.
I've been looking into what it would cost to have a modest and modestly profitable farm, and the math isn't penciling out. I'm sure I'm completely missing a number of important elements. Wheat seems to require 500+ acres at a minimum, assuming somewhat conservative yield (40 bushels per acre) and current per-bushel sales prices ($5 or $5.25 per bushel). That would gross $100k per year. To purchase 500 acres of land, plus a house nearby, plus required equipment (a combine is $330k+ new), seems like you'd never make back the costs let alone any profit in your (well my) lifetime.
Unless the land is free (or nearly free - say $250 an acre or less), you work with a co-op to keep equipment and other costs down, or you find more profitable crops, I don't see too many young/new people getting into it. On top of all the costs, trying to save money for retirement, health insurance/care, child costs (incl. college tuition), etc.
I'd love to be proven wrong though.
And I sincerely apologize to ChrisMT for going off-topic - I've enjoyed reading your adventure as well, especially now since I've not been able to go on any road trips this year and don't foresee being able to for several more months. Safe travels on your return home (or maybe you're already there)?
Hey, no problem on off topic...I obviously co-opted Idaho forum even though I was traveling in NV, MT, UT and WY as well!
And all of the information is very interesting. I agree that commercial agriculture looks daunting to those who didn't grow up in the craft. Gentleman farming is a big thing it seems now for obvious reasons....or you know...backyard farming to grow your own food, eggs etc...
As far as bread-making goes...invest around $30 or less in a bread-maker on Amazon and while your at it, buy a recipe book and you will wonder how you ever lived without All you do is place the ingredients into the bread-maker (liquids first and it takes a little experience to get the right dough consistency at first) and turn it on...a few hours later you have hot, fresh bread!!!!
I'm really happy you had such a good visit, Chris.
I think your comments were very valuable too, as most folks who visit the forum don't know what to expect to see once they come here to visit.
Idaho has always been a highly agricultural state, and farming is still the way a lot of people here make their living.
It's a big employer, and a lot of jobs that wouldn't appear to be connected to it actually are.
All our food processing factories, as an example, employ chemists, electricians, engineers, sanitation experts, cooks and technicians, plastics and packaging people, and all kinds of other occupations. Those factories are here only because of our farms.
They're all only part of the occupations that have connections to farming. There are many more than I even want to try to list. Many of those jobs are done in offices and laboratories here, by folks who have never set foot on a farm.
Your keen observance showed where it all begins. Without farms, none of it would exist here.
I got carried away, so I apologize for taking your thread off-course, but as you can see, farming holds a very deep connection to my life here. And I do tend to get carried away whenever there's something I know about that pops up here.
It's absolutely fascinating....that is why I love road trips...you see and experience so much and learn about how other people live or about history.
One other observation about Idaho that I chuckle about...it is the only state I have visited that uses the word 'Game' for 'Wildlife'...as in...'Watch for Wildlife' warning signs that many states have posted on the highways...Idaho is 'Watch for Game'...Wyoming had the most signs of all and they were also creative as in a picture of a pronghorn and the words 'entering highway at 55mph'....and in Nevada, we just have a picture of a mustang with flashing lights ha ha!!!
I've been looking into what it would cost to have a modest and modestly profitable farm, and the math isn't penciling out. I'm sure I'm completely missing a number of important elements. Wheat seems to require 500+ acres at a minimum, assuming somewhat conservative yield (40 bushels per acre) and current per-bushel sales prices ($5 or $5.25 per bushel). That would gross $100k per year. To purchase 500 acres of land, plus a house nearby, plus required equipment (a combine is $330k+ new), seems like you'd never make back the costs let alone any profit in your (well my) lifetime.
Like every business... the devil is in the details.... as in the details of cost and income. Just for info, here are some contract service costs in the SE USA; you may find the same for the West. https://www.southeastfarmer.net/sect...ng-prices-2019
And I bet most fill-time farmers end up with very low reportable income for taxation purposes. Most all the expenses are deductible, equipment and buildings get depreciated, and a lot of the equipment can be fully depreciated in the year of purchase a 179 capital purchases. So tax bills are probably very low out of that $100k gross. And there may be farm support payments to learn about for income the income side of things.
I would assume that leasing other farm land is a common practice out in that region as elsewhere. So that might be a key in getting the acreage up.
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All you do is place the ingredients into the bread-maker (liquids first and it takes a little experience to get the right dough consistency at first) and turn it on...a few hours later you have hot, fresh bread!!!!
