"Torsten Brinch" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 4 Dec 2002 06:49:05 +0000 (UTC), "Charlie"
wrote:


world shortages and EU aid payments. But celebration would be
prematu the bad news is, it is all downhill from here.
(The Times, September 27 1996)

I wonder if they have ever looked back at this cutting and realised what
an
absolutely true piece of reporting this was!!
If farmers had known what was coming after this I am sure there would be
far
less about now, most could have sold up then and been better off now if
they
had never done another days work.

Hm. If The Times could see it coming, why couldn't the farmers.

Farming is a cycical bussness. If we ran and hid at every down market you
would be rather short on food. When I quit faming I took a dressing down in
a restrant from one of my neighors for it. "My dad had farmed that land and
so had my grand dad and I by God sould stick to it". It wasn't a polite or
quite discussion. It's not a job that pays wages that you can get another
down around the corner. It's what many of our families have done for
generations. My son is one of very few men in my family that never worked a
farm or ranch of his own. He is still young. I have a cousin that is just
taking full control of my ranch in my mothers side of the family. She is 58.

If your governments are going to tie your farmers hands so he can't make a
profit they are pretty much obliged to keep him in business or risk being
very bad way when a food shortage comes along. Get in that position and you
will find how hard hearted the grain merchants really are. They will make
OPEC look like pussy cats. They don't have diplomats.
--
Gordon

Gordon Couger
Stillwater, OK
www.couger.com/gcouger