We just crossed the states on Hwy 2 and the size of these fields is amazing. What is a typical farm? Is a lot of the land owned by corporations. I assume this farmland stretches to the north and south for a considerable distance. The small portion of the Bakken oil fields we went through was pretty amazing too.
- Thread starter atlarge54
- Start date
One of the myths that the anti farming groups push is how Corporations are owning more and more farm ground in the US. Well if you think all corporation are the same then they are right. Here is the rest of the story, 98% of those corporations are owned by family members running the farms. Incorporating your farm is a good way to handle passing a farm operation to your family. Mine has been incorporated for 20 years now.
As for the average farm in Eastern Montana and North Dakota. They would farm thousands of acres of small grains. The yield on dry land small grains is low so you have to have a lot of acres to generate a family income. So 4-5K farms would not be uncommon.
As for the average farm in Eastern Montana and North Dakota. They would farm thousands of acres of small grains. The yield on dry land small grains is low so you have to have a lot of acres to generate a family income. So 4-5K farms would not be uncommon.
caterpillar guy
Well-known Member
I find it interesting for lack of better words. Most places out in The wheat growing areas of KS,OK,TX,SD,MT,WY,NE,CO,ID all pretty much refer to land areas in Quarter sections instead of acres. Though the land is still measured in acres.
Bruce from Can.
Well-known Member
- Location
- Woodville, Ontario, Canada
I like these kinds of questions, because there is no
definitive answer. The average farm doesn?t exist, at
least not for long, because the average is in
constant change. You could have the average for
2019 or the average for 1950 . The average will not
necessarily be reflected in years following.
definitive answer. The average farm doesn?t exist, at
least not for long, because the average is in
constant change. You could have the average for
2019 or the average for 1950 . The average will not
necessarily be reflected in years following.
Eastern Montana, many of the operations
are 10-20000 acres plus with some larger.
It is a very unforgiving countryside, very
much boom or bust many years. There is
also quite a bit of reservation land that
is leased out.
Once you get into ND most operations are
quite a bit smaller. It takes about 2000
ac to support a family here. A bit more on
the western side. 4-8000 is towards the
norm. There are still the big timers that
want to farm 2 counties, but many have had
their wings clipped recently.
As Bob said, in ND only family
corporations or individuals can own farm
land. And very few own a majority of the
land they farm.
Similar south through SD and north into
Saskatchewan. Up into Canada, many of the
big outfits are Hutterite colonies.
are 10-20000 acres plus with some larger.
It is a very unforgiving countryside, very
much boom or bust many years. There is
also quite a bit of reservation land that
is leased out.
Once you get into ND most operations are
quite a bit smaller. It takes about 2000
ac to support a family here. A bit more on
the western side. 4-8000 is towards the
norm. There are still the big timers that
want to farm 2 counties, but many have had
their wings clipped recently.
As Bob said, in ND only family
corporations or individuals can own farm
land. And very few own a majority of the
land they farm.
Similar south through SD and north into
Saskatchewan. Up into Canada, many of the
big outfits are Hutterite colonies.
A friend has a neighbor who asks how many acres and employees he has. I stopped one day and asked where was the new sign. He said it was over there, one that he had casted locally with their farm name on it. I said, no that I was looking for the one like the banks that change their name all of the time. But I thought he could keep his neighbors caught up instantly with the number of acres and employees posted daily.
I have always say that the BTOs live by the sword and die by the sword. But a friend said once that there is more money than acres.
I have always say that the BTOs live by the sword and die by the sword. But a friend said once that there is more money than acres.
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Ever here the one about the Texas rancher and the Iowa farmer sitting at same table at meeting? Texan asks Iowan how big of ranch you-all got up there in Iowa? Iowan answers, well
we do alright Ma and me on our 160 acres. Feed a few steers, Ma has a few chickens. Every 10 years we by a brand new Chevrolet car and we got one of them big 4430 John Deeres. Then
the Iowan makes the mistake of asking the Texan how many acres he farms down there in Texas. Texan answers while leaning back on two legs of his chair with his chest puffed out, well
let me put it this way. I can get in my pickup and drive all day long from sunup to sundown and I'd still be on my property. Iowan says ya, I had a pickup like that once too.
we do alright Ma and me on our 160 acres. Feed a few steers, Ma has a few chickens. Every 10 years we by a brand new Chevrolet car and we got one of them big 4430 John Deeres. Then
the Iowan makes the mistake of asking the Texan how many acres he farms down there in Texas. Texan answers while leaning back on two legs of his chair with his chest puffed out, well
let me put it this way. I can get in my pickup and drive all day long from sunup to sundown and I'd still be on my property. Iowan says ya, I had a pickup like that once too.
An employee of mine moved to North Dakota when her husband found a job in the oil fields. She said they rented a house on a big farm owned by an older lady, with her son doing the farming. One day a brand new combine showed up- son was not too pleased, as he just got a new one a couple years ago, and was just getting used to it. Mom needed to spend some money for tax purposes. She has all of her land in oil and gas leases, and when she gets to the FDIC insured limit in a bank, she starts depositing in a new bank. She has "filled up" every bank within 150 miles, so is spending money on the farm rather than banking it. It a tough life, but they're trying to cope.
john in la
Well-known Member
When I hear about these large 10,000 acre farms it makes me think about how bad their carrying capacity must be.
Take a 10,000 acre farm that needs 10 to 20 acres to carry a cow.
Seems like a awful lot of wasted fence when you consider a 500 to 1000 acre farm in the south east that needs 1 acre per cow will do the same thing.
Take a 10,000 acre farm that needs 10 to 20 acres to carry a cow.
Seems like a awful lot of wasted fence when you consider a 500 to 1000 acre farm in the south east that needs 1 acre per cow will do the same thing.
Yup, the production per acre can be low, but land is relatively cheap and with those wide open spaces you can get a lot done quickly. Problem is, some guys I know got 70 bu. wheat last year, and mostly got hailed out this year. Hard on the bank account and on ones constitution.
Funny but a lot of farmers in ND don't talk about farming acres or quarter sections. They talk about how full sections they farm. Smallest I know of personally is 2500 acres up near Larimore. I did know a guy over by Lakota that was cropping about 25 sections back in the 70's.
As far as yields? Depends where you are in the state. In the Red River Valley area yields can be very good on dry land. And west of Fargo, somewhat to the north and to the south they raise a lot of corn and beans too, not just small grains.
Rick
As far as yields? Depends where you are in the state. In the Red River Valley area yields can be very good on dry land. And west of Fargo, somewhat to the north and to the south they raise a lot of corn and beans too, not just small grains.
Rick
In South Dakota General Mills Foods took over owning or renting the old Gunsmoke Farms and hoped to grow their own organic grains on it. 30,000 acres more or less.
General Mills was hoping to cash in on the organic label, and run the whole show from growing to putting the boxes on the grocery shelves.
It is kind of ironic, the anti gmo organic crowd is against big corporate Ag, and so the answer is - for General Mills to become an organic grower of 30,000 acres of
corporate farming.....
Can only shake my head.
I think it has already fallen apart, that land is terrible poor and dry, organic don?t work there.
Paul
Corporate organic as it was meant to be?
General Mills was hoping to cash in on the organic label, and run the whole show from growing to putting the boxes on the grocery shelves.
It is kind of ironic, the anti gmo organic crowd is against big corporate Ag, and so the answer is - for General Mills to become an organic grower of 30,000 acres of
corporate farming.....
Can only shake my head.
I think it has already fallen apart, that land is terrible poor and dry, organic don?t work there.
Paul
Corporate organic as it was meant to be?
john in la
Well-known Member
Exactly my point.
One guy farms 10,000 acres.
It cost the same as our 1000 acres and produces the same amount of crop at the end of the year.
So saying you farm 10,000 acres or 1000 acres is the same thing depending on where you are.
One guy farms 10,000 acres.
It cost the same as our 1000 acres and produces the same amount of crop at the end of the year.
So saying you farm 10,000 acres or 1000 acres is the same thing depending on where you are.
Similar threads
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.
Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy