busterdog: "That is one county and $300 is more like it here."
$300 an acre for rent now? Even when corn was around $8 that was really good rent. The best I heard of, when the sky was the limit was $325 (and smart operators were calling that crazy). Paying that now, or expecting it, with the corn price where it is, isn't realistic. It is a recipe for going belly up.
busterdog: "Besides that, I have land in CRP. the payment is $180."
You offer up a payment number but don't provide any details. We both know that CRP payments depend on several factors. When was your sign-up? What was your soil type rated? What's the proximity to water? Etc.
We have land in CRP as well, making more. Land deemed watershed is premium.
busterdog: "Even at $300, the farmer would still be out money due to not having a crop there. You cant buy land and have it cash flow on rent."
I don't know anyone personally who bought land within the last few years. The only land I know of being purchased was by either corporate operations or investors. If you paid recent land prices and borrowed for it, nothing can help you now. Just pray for the price to come back.
busterdog: "You are in a different area. I can drive 10 miles every direction from here and not find one ditch that doesn't slope away from the banks.
The buffer strip will do absolutely 100% nothing! That is why you cant have a one size fits all solution. This is and always has been about hunting."
This is a pointless argument. For every one you can show me to make your point, I can show you one to make mine. Fighting the one size fits all solution is just an attempt to marginalize the effort. Regarding whether this is about hunting, maybe it started that way. However, hunters have always led the way in conservation. It started with Teddy Roosevelt on a federal level here in the U.S. and I'm proud to continue to support it.
busterdog: "It all enters through tile. They all assume we have no regard for land or water and have no idea how anything works. Its BS. We care for the land and water more than anyone in the state. But maybe one or 2 bad apples create the assumption that everyone is bad."
I don't agree that it all enters through tile but do agree that tile is a contributor. You say that farmers care about the land and water quality.
How much pattern tiling is being done in your area?
busterdog: "So are you telling me there are no towns along the Minnesota river at all? And no towns that dump into rivers that flow to the Minnesota? That's right, its all farmers, always blame the farmers. Dumping all that fertilizer and chemical. I got news for you, that is EXSPENSIVE and is used sparingly."
You don't have to tell me it's expensive, I know. I don't think farmers waste any fertilizer or chemicals. I don't think they concern themselves about using it either though. I can take you to several places where there's been corn on corn running on 4 years +.
busterdog: "Besides that, if we didn't use it there would not be enough food to feed you."
This is a silly statement. There is no industry more protected than agriculture in the United States. Farmers are able to feed you because
the general public props up the industry. Corn without subsudies doesn't make it. Please don't claim farmers are just patriots toiling away for the greater good. It belittles their real business acumen.
busterdog: "Too many people have absolutely no idea how farming works anymore."
I agree with this, too few do and it means they'll buy into any BS squaking from big ag. (and some farmers) because they don't know any better. I'd like to educate them on crop insurance, particularly price guarantees. Also, how the market works in general. What!!!! The market is going down!!!!!! Close the market!!!! Wish I had the same protections in my investments.
busterdog: "How about lake properties? No more fertilizer or chemical on the lawns with this bill right? Sure as hell should be! City lawns, no fertilizer or chemical within 50' of curbs right? Sure as hell should be!
Runoff from that goes right down the street, into the drain, and to the water."
Agree 100%. We have a cabin in Brainerd. Most lake home/cabin owners make me sick. For instance, take Gull Lake. Most of the properties around it look like a golf course. Old cabins are being torn down and mansions built from property line to property line with no set back from the lake because they left one bare stud wall up of the old place and called it a remodel. I'll support any law that puts an end to it.
busterdog: "It clearly states in the law that buffers can be hayed or grazed. Hay is a cash crop so if land cant be in row crop, what will most people do?"
Just about anything can be grazed or hayed. Just take a look at the WPA land around Windom. Some lucky farmer is getting a deal grazing on Federal land. Nice new fences at tax payer expense too.
busterdog: "Its not a matter of weather I let anyone hunt, many many farmers wont allow hunting on the buffers. Hunters pushing this law may very well make them decide to push hunters off other land."
I hunt all public land, with the exception of my family's CRP. I can't stand the idea of being beholden to anyone. Be as spiteful as you want, no skin off my nose. As I said, I'm beholden to the greater good with my property. I can't do whatever I want with it and neither should farmers with theirs.
busterdog: "You are right im angry! This is just more government overreach. What if PETA got a law passed that you could no longer hut your own ground? You would be fine with that I guess because you have to comply with laws."
I support buffer strips because it's the right thing to do. And because doing so will help take the wind out of groups like PETA's sails. If we self regulate and do the right thing, they've got no leg to stand on.
busterdog: "As I said, this is purely about hunting and they are using water quality as a means to try to get the bill passed. If you want more pheasant habitat, go buy some ground ant put it into CRP."
My family did just that and I'm very proud.
