Farm And Ranch Country
By Bill Graff
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Podcast Description
A podcast where country values and lifestyle merge with business and political reality. Topics covered: Farm Bill, Precision Farming, Tractors, Country Living, Farm Life, Cattle, and all things ag.
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056 – There is no “Middle” anymore | Leave a voice comment by clicking on the microphone on the right of the screen. I might put it in the next podcast. What do I mean by the "Middle"? The middle ground is where much farm policy has been made in years past. Now in many arenas, especially politics the middle is losing ground to both ends of the spectrum. This has huge implications for commercial production agriculture in the future. Not just with farm programs, but in regulations, taxes, public opinion of farmers. What type of food production consumers actually want is moving out of the "middle". Will there be opportunities, yes, but I see the downside for most of us as being greater. Many things are changing for agriculture, but are the god times, so good we are not seeing what is coming at us. Even at times I think agricultural producers have no middle ground with each other anymore. Lots of information on what I believe is the biggest topic not being talked about in agriculture today. Maybe my most important podcast to date. Josh Flint | 5/8/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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055 – 2012 Farm Bill – The South Rises again/did Corn over reach | The South, Peanuts, Rice and to an extent Cotton rose up and at least for now, opposed the Senate Farm Bill proposal. Senators from the south, and yes Republican Senators are speaking out against what they see as a lack of an equitable program for southern crops. Namely rice, peanuts and to a certain extent cotton. Saxby Chambliss - R Georgia, and John Boozman -R Arkansas. I also find it interesting that Larry Combest, former House Agricultural Comm. Chairman helped organize the letter that opposed the Senate Farm Bill Draft, at least for now. Cochran - R Mississippi, and the Republican Senate leader McConnell - Kentucky also voted against the bill. Where are you going to find the money to make them happy? Is there enough Political will to keep a form of Direct Payments for them, or raise target prices like they would like ? Farm Bill fight is still Regional not political, at least not yet. Stabenow and Roberts did not have their bases covered. That is surprising to many observers. Things like this do not generally move unless they have broad support. This Southern Slowdown of the Farm Bill will make it that much harder to get anything done before the 2012 election. I am not saying they should not have done it. They need to do what they think is best for their farmers. Stabenow did change some things to placate two very powerful democratic senators from North Dakota and Montana. One chairman of the Finance comm., the other chairman of the Budget comm. Did the corn growers over reach? Will all this support for corn, be used against ethanol, etc., at a later time? It looks to me corn got everything it wanted and then some in this Senate draft. So, does this mean since there are around 300,000 corn farmers and 5,000 rice farmers, corn should get a better deal. Now I know a lot of corn producers will say the payments going to crops down south have dwarfed what ever corn and or soybeans have gotten in the past, but corn also gets a lot from the ethanol backing by the feds. Now the process goes to the house. This is where the real fight is. Senate Bill is what I think the Ag Committee in the house will start from, but will Lucas go along? Getting a Bill out of the Senate Ag committee is a start, and increases the odds a farm bill will be done before the November election, but this by no means is a sure thing. | 4/28/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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054 – 2012 Farm Bill Senate Draft | Senate Agricultural Committee has sent a Farm Bill to be "Marked Up". A bill mark up is where a committee goes over a proposal and "marks up" the paper with changes. But, the major stuff has already been decided in the Senate Agricultural Committee. $23 Billion in budget cuts over a 10 year period. Major component will be the Agricultural Risk Coverage Program - the same thing that purposed during the "super" committee debate last year. I go over many of the details of this program. Cotton growers get their "STAX" program. A new specialty crop program, Supplemental Coverage Option. Conservation, food stamps, Dairy, etc. programs are discussed. I also further discuss where the house agricultural committee is at and doing with the farm bill. | 4/25/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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053 – 2012 Farm Bill Update | I discuss many of the twists and turns that could happen before a farm bill will be completed. John Boehner leader of the house does not want a farm bill discussion before the election. He does not want Republicans fighting each other before the election. I go through all the factions in a farm bill debate. World Trade Organizations and problems with parts of the farm bill. Crop Insurance is under attack. Environmental Working Group and others really do not like privately administered crop insurance. EWG funded a "study" by Bruce Babcock a professor at Iowa State University that takes major hits at crop insurance. Not all agricultural groups are united in what they want in the next farm bill. Is the number to cut 23 billion or 33 billion? Big discussion on Food Stamps and how much the program has grown in the last 10 years. If there is no farm bill is an extension of the current bill possible? Dairy - I have a good idea what will not be able to pass the house, so what will the policy be? Nobody may know the answer to that. Conservation - there will be some reductions and consolidations, but where and how much? Other Factors - Where will commodity prices at? Drought or surplus crops, either extreme has implications for a farm bill. EWG - just what is their game? Food stamps and attempts to rein this program in could spill over into other areas of the farm bill and gain or lose votes on the final passage of a farm bill. 2012 presidential election will have effects this summer and fall on the farm bill debate. Senate and House election also will have big effects. Possible Government shut down right before the election? Government workers "partying" cold and will affect everything the government does as long as people remember what has went on. Senate is moving fast. I always thought Senate would move before the House. When politicians want something done and they all agree on it, it can happen fast. | 4/24/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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052 – Limiting Food Choices | I take a look at the controversy over Lean Finely Textured Beef or as the radical foodies would call it "pink slime". I believe many of these attempts to influence food choices by the "masses" has turned into THE INTENTIONAL RAISING OF FOOD PRICES SO AS TO LIMIT "CHOICES" BY LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME PEOPLE. It is a radical agenda by vegans, vegetarians, radical "local" and "organic" "foodies" to destroy commercial production agriculture. To some it is a religion to them. These people are also going out of their way to target women. Commercial Agriculture may have to stop playing nice and use their tactics against them. Which would be to copy the "Rules for Radicals" playbook from Saul Alinsky and isolate and destroy them. This is also a clash of cultures. Their choices (radical foodies) are their choices but leave the rest of us alone and don't force your views on us. We can do all the know your farmer know your food campaigns, but we will never win over the radicals. These radicals re-define the terms, law, and language to fit their needs. Commercial Production Agriculture and the way all of mainstream agriculture has communicated for years may not work anymore. We (ag communicators) do not want to upset anybody, we want full access to everybody, and we play way too nice. I also discuss the new American elite and how they grow up and live isolated from the rest of America. These "super" zip codes where these people with tremendous wealth and influence live do not understand anything about how a lot of things are done. But, it does not matter, they want it their way. And, they suffer from "elite guilt" that everybody else should have "it" that way too. Hopefully Commercial Production Agriculture will figure out it is in the fight of its life (that includes you grain farmers too). And commercial production agriculture will be able to defeat these radical foodies and their attempts to limit choices of food through any means available to them. Including the radical foodie's policies pricing food out of the reach of many of the consumers in America. | 4/8/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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051-Audience appreciation | Farm Podcast Thank you, thank you, thank you for listening. This is the 51st podcast in just over a year. I talk about who is listening and give a shout out to a few of my loyal listeners. I have even had a you tube video of some one listening to one of my podcasts, while driving on the road M6 in England. I go over my goals for the next year with the podcasts and why I think I can be more independent than many agricultural communicators. I also come at this from a commercial production agricultural perspective. But I also have a bunch of experiences to build on in this endeavor. A special thanks to my wife Judi for making all this possible. And once again thank you to all my listeners. | 4/2/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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050 – Farm Bill House Ag Committee Field Hearing | House Ag Committee Field Hearing Farm Bill I report on, and give my take on what was said at the House ag committee hearing in Galesburg, Illinois. It is my belief that a farm bill is very likely to be passed before the election. The winds have changed and I think it may get done. I have testified to Congress before and this "field hearing" was much like all the others I have been at. From the sounds of it, crop insurance will be a big part of the farm bill and direct payments are gone. I also think chairman Lucas would have liked for the farm bill to not have had to be caught up in the current big government/raise taxes/cut government debate that is now going on in Washington, D.C. Listen and enjoy, not a real long podcast. I still like my idea of a farmer choice farm bill. The link below is where anyone can give testimony to the House Ag Committee in regards to what should be in ( or not in) the next farm bill. http://agriculture.house.gov/farmbill_feedback.html | 3/25/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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049 – Farm Bill What is the fall back position? | Farm Bill Podcast I continue my discussion of the 2012/2013 farm bill. What is the fall back position for agricultural groups if a farm bill does not happen? What is your fall back position for your agricultural operation if a farm bill does not happen? Lots of hurdles to overcome to get a farm bill finished. Agricultural committee members and their staffs have done this more than once during difficult times. Budget in the end is the problem with getting a farm bill done. | 3/2/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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048 – 2012/2013 Farm Bill ????? | Can both the House and Senate pass a Farm Bill and get Obama to sign it before the November election? Can they even get a transportation bill done before March 31, 2012? Offices closures are going to be a hot topic this summer. No not USDA FSA/NRCS/RD offices, but local Post Offices are scheduled to be closed. Will the new debt limit just passed late last year be hit before or after the November 2012 election? Remember all the processes and cussing and discussing that went on to get the debt limit raised last fall. Can a farm bill be even brought up in that atmosphere? Will farm groups agree on something, agree to disagree, or fight amongst themselves? Will crop insurance and CRP be the only real big farm bill programs in the end? Maybe not this farm bill but in the next one? The real hangups I see are; how direct payments are replaced and will the boys down south with rice and peanuts and cotton get anywhere near that level of payment with an insurance type program, will there be any administrative changes to food assistance, and how will the environmental lobby react to cuts in conservation payments? | 3/1/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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047 Keep on the Sunny Side | Farm Podcast Do people in agriculture, especially farmers and ranchers in particular, focus too much time and attention on the negative things in our lives? I know I do at times. I start this podcast with a my short take on music, then compare it to agriculture. I know it sounds like a stretch, but stay with me. So, why are so many farmers and ranchers so negative? Today, many people all over the world are unhappy, but we have never had it so good. I want to, no I really, really want to start focusing on the sunny side of things. So listen and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did doing it. | 2/19/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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046 – Money in Agriculture – Lots of It | Farm Podcast There is a lot of money in Agriculture right now. Record numbers of attendees at winter Agricultural conferences. National Cattlemen Beef Association and Commodity classic have/had record number of people registered as attendees. Cash rents are going through the roof in many areas. Agricultural equipment sales were very high in 2011. Farm building builders did a record business in 2011. Land prices set record highs in 2011. Midwest land prices made new Inflation Adjusted highs in 2011. Surpassing top made in the early 1980s. Why is there so much money in agriculture right now? When will the party come to an end? Will there still be a federal farm safety net when the agriculture economy turns down??? With record government spending and entitlement programs eating up more and more federal revenues, will very much of what we think of as agricultural policy exist in 10 years? Real farm net income continues to set records. Lastly, I look out into the future as to what the consequences of all this money will be on the future agricultural economy. | 2/8/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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045 – So how are they going to compete? | Farm Podcast How does a young beginning farmer that is not part of or joining a large already running operation acquire land to farm? Grain farming especially is very,very profitable right now. Land continues to be "locked" up by large to very large operations. So how does a young person get started right now? Of course the government is talking the same things it has done for years and farms just keep getting larger. Social engineering farm groups continue to complain just like they have for years. So how do you get started? Many mid-sized, middle-aged operations continue to loss ground to the mega-farmers. So how does this mid-type guy survive? Not too far away from me a mid-sized farmer lost over 400 acres to one of the mega cash renters. How do you plan on competing with the mega cash renters if you farm in the Midwest? I even know of a Co-Op that is re-structuring. This local Co-Op is trying to leave one parent Co-Op for another one. Young farmers used to start with livestock. Can you do that anymore? Can the government help? Control of land is where it is at. For 95% PLUS OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE, control of the land or how a farmer controls the land is key. How are you going to compete in the future????? | 1/30/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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044 – State Finances worse than Greece | Huge difference in the 50 States when it comes to their financial shape. Many farmers and ranchers are from states where the state finances are in OK to good shape. But, the states that are in financial trouble are large states in both population and economic size. I will discuss the economic size of states, and how this affects agriculture. Where is this all heading and when. What can be done to solve this problem. Will some states need to go into some sort of bankruptcy? This will become before it is solved a huge problem for the United States. Obama's stimulus just helped these states in financial trouble push it down the road for awhile. Will the population of these states along with their current political lineup allow the sacrifice necessary to solve these problems? Look at the recall votes in Wisconsin and the ballot initiative in Ohio.How does this affect you and your agricultural operation? How will this affect people in states that are not in financial distress? Will your taxes be collected and used by the Feds, if these big economic and population states are in control of the Federal Government, to fund their constituents services in their states? | 1/22/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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043 – Presidential Candidates and Agriculture | Subscribe in Itunes My opinion on how and why the Agricultural Community would fare under the different Presidential candidates. Additionally, how the agricultural markets would react. I look at all the major candidates including those that have "suspended" campaigns and those that have no chance. I make no predictions and do not "cheer lead" for anyone in particular, I just assess the field. I also assess a second Obama term. I also discuss who and how the different campaigns may put together in a Farm and Ranch coalition. | 1/11/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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042 – USDA program and functions cuts???? | I discuss my TOP TEN USDA programs and/or functions that I would eliminate, reduce, consolidate, or change the direction of the program. \ I am not going to make everybody happy and I am sure to upset quite a few people and many will be USDA employees. I go through my TOP TEN and then I really have a discussion on the Conservation Reserve Program. I am a supporter of CRP and was even a bigger supporter when grain prices were really low, but now we need to downsize CRP and focus our time, efforts and money on the areas and practices that will give us the most bang for the buck. I talk about quite a few conservation programs, but I also go on to explain why some USDA functions just need to be eliminated. I also explain why I think that for every one job that is reduced at the county office level, the level that actually provides services to farmers and ranchers, and helps farmers and ranchers produce food, then one job at USDA in Washington D.C. needs to be cut and also one job at the major regional offices, like Kansas City, St. Louis, Fort Collins. Of course one would have to take on the government unions, because all the major offices are union, but many county office employees are not union, and many are prevented by law from being unionized. A secretary of Agriculture that would do this would need independent outside counsel to get this done, considering the "Empires" that exist in many areas of USDA. | 1/8/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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041 “It” happens every year | Farm Podcast Something not in "the plan" goes wrong. What we as farmers and ranchers often overlook is what we did right, and we focus on only what we did wrong. We also worry about things we have no control over, when we should be worrying about how to control the risk associated with things we have no control over, such as a drought. I try to do an honest year end analysis ever year. What worked and what didn't and why. What we will do different next year and what we will try again. Also, what we will try new I discuss the difference between "English" and German farming mentality. Are you ready for the new year? | 1/1/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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040 MF Global what a mess | Newest Farm Podcast Lots to say so where do I start? Is Corzine a crook? That is to be determined by a court of law. Did he do immoral and unethical things? Yes, in my opinion. I look at and discuss what is known and rumored about the MF Global collapse. Much to say, but does it really matter? Does this affect the agricultural market for a long time? Could possibly have huge affects on Agri-business. | 12/29/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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039 – Farm Bill the never ending saga? | Well, the Super committee went down without an agreement and along with it a "new" farm bill. Much cuss'in and discuss'in about what went on. Pat Roberts has probably said the most. It was done in secret with many parties out of the loop. In the end I wonder if Lucas will be the biggest loser when all is said and done. This process appears to have split agriculture into more regional blocks then ever. Presidential politics are soon to enter into this debate. Floor of the House could still be where all the action will occur. Agriculture in the end was the only part of Congress to actually do what the super committee asked them to do. Was this process only the first part of one, two, or three more levels of cuts to the farm bill. | 12/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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038 – 2012 Farm Bill Not Farmer’s Choice, but Commodity Group’s Choice | listen to podcast: I ask and answer about 20 questions on the current Farm Bill process. Includes comment about the Super Committee process. Last question is " Will this current Farm Bill and the process in which it came about come back to haunt agriculture in the future"? United States agriculture will face a major crisis sometime in the future, we all know we will. Do we spend all our "chips" now when times are good? Is this just commodity groups and general farm organizations trying to stay viable during the "good times"? | 11/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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037 EUROPE – How does it affect U.S. AG | Short Term I give my take on what markets will be affected the most and the least, and other factors affecting individual markets. Medium Term China to the rescue? Stagflation, last time US had this much food inflation was 1978 which was followed by high inflation in 1979 and 1980. Long Term 1. Rise in Nationalism 2. Less agricultural spending in Europe 3. Inflation 4. Higher Interest rates 5. List of countries with problems and who could be next or what order they will have major problems. 6. Super Committee 7. What is owed to whom by whom??????? | 11/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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036 – Is ag following the right strategy? | Is the house and senate ag committees following the correct strategies for a new farm bill? Are the major commodity and general ag groups going about this in the correct way? Do farmers even realize what is going on, and do they care right now? Do most farmers and ranchers even realize that crop insurance is part of the farm bill? Are some staffers trying to justify their existence? Will the strategy to hang a farm bill on the super committee work? Can a farm bill pass the house next summer on its own? Tell me what you think. | 11/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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035 – Tobacco love or hate it , it is agriculture | One of the very first "cultivated" crops in North America. Smoked by "native Americans" long before the "evil Europeans" came to the North American continent. One of the first trans-Atlantic trade commodities. Smoked along with probably a little "wacky-tabacky" in many peace pipe. Today scorned by many, thrown out by the government as a government backed farm program crop. Actually a "buy-out" of the tobacco crop acreage base. Now Herman Cain has a "smokin add", and Senator Dick Durbin along with his fellow liberal democrat senators want to ban tobacco from major league baseball. I know they say they just want it outlawed during the world series, but how many other liberal do-good laws have suffered "bracket creep"???????? I for one have always cautioned farm groups that doing away with "tobacco" in the farm program may come back to haunt us. So will it? I guess the main question I have in an era of declining resources can a farm coalition stay together or will it all go down at once? I do not have faith that the right things economically will be done without "wasting" money on some type of feel good agricultural programs. | 10/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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034 Markets- Short and Long View | Farm Podcast Look at the markets from both a short term and long term view. November 9th crop report, yields will be key, but will anybody believe USDA anymore? European plan to deal with Greek debt. Is Europe capable of coming up with a solution to its problems? Grain market had a tough end to last week, but will start this week off higher. Arab fall instead of an Arab spring? Will Argentina be an example of what the Progressive liberals want to do in this country? Long view of markets. When will the grain market bull end? Will hydraulic fracturing to get massive amounts of oil and natural gas out of the ground lower energy prices, raise the value of the dollar sky high, and make the US an energy exporter, end the bull run in commodity prices? | 10/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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033 Are the 99% that stupid about economics? | I was listening to an economic talk radio show this weekend and are people really this uninformed about economics. I know they live by pay check economic rules and do not even have a clue how to do a cash flow, budget, or simple tax planning. They have never had to figure out how to stretch money coming in to cover the money going out. It is the same with these people "occupying wall street" if you listen to them being interviewed you just have a hard time believing these people live in the real world. Farmers and ranchers need to be aware of this level of economic education of the "masses" because these are the people voting for the politicians who have too much control over what we do and how we do it. | 10/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 24 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Great overView ofAgriculture
It great to have a farmers view of agriculture podcasting. There lots of good podcasters trying to give a view of how to farm. Bill knows what he is talking about.
I would suggest if possible to increase the volume.
Keep up the work. I wish you a good September growing conditions.
Farm and Ranch Country Podcast
Bill puts a lot of work and heart into his podcasts. He is sincere about his interest in the subjects he covers. I like the music too.
Recovering Appointee
Good to hear Bill's voice again. always insightful and interesting . ( Anne Ferro is a nice lady just wrong onfarm transportation issues.)
Keep up the good work. Hope harvest is bountiful.
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