Monday, February 02, 2009

Blogging note...

If you check my schedule, you'll note these are busy weeks traveling for me.  More to the point, I'm finding harder to get reoriented in various hotel rooms and post much.  I'll try to get 4-5 per week, but the stuff I'm learning actually being with live people is extremely interesting right now.

For example:  the guys in Edmonton were talking about the buzz there that a Canadian company (or companies) could be a bidder for some of the Verasun facilities.

One way or another, we're going to find out something about business model for ethanol next month. 

Meanwhile, IL Corn Growers can't back the stimulus plan because it doesn't spend enough on their pet projects.

If this isn't whining about about a slow bartender on the Titanic, I don't know what is. Agriculture is doing better than about 90% of folks and we still can't shift our focus from locks and dams to unemployment and lack of health care.

We will soon, I think.  If this economy picks up speed to the downside, our demand destruction will leave any new locks standing idle.  I'm not sure grain farmers, who are arriving late to this catastrophe will appreciate the nature of this recession until job losses touch their immediate circle.

Interestingly, this position puts the ICGA alongside Republicans who want to strip exactly that kind of pork barrel spending out in favor of tax cutsI'll bet those are interesting Capitol Hill visits.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

-brings to mind that Brooks and Dunn song--only in america --and I thought $5 corn was going to utopia for all

Anonymous said...

You mention the lock expansion projects that we are told we have to have. I farm near the La Grange lock on the Illinois River. Do you know how much difference there is in grain bids right above the lock and right below? None-ever. If it's so expensive to lock though, why don't grain buyers pay 1 penny more for grain that won't have to be locked through?

Anonymous said...

Interesting, since Rodney and his posse were SO-- in bed with Obama. Could not have that evil McCain in there he may not give us our goodies.

Be careful what you ask for you just might get it

Anonymous said...

Not every farm is doing well because of the high price of corn. Check out the dairy industry.