It maybe to late

This property is about 5 minutes from my house. I have worked on farms for a long time, I know the ins and outs of farming well, and respect the heck out of farmers. By no means trying to cause issues for them. That being said, the subsidies that the US taxpayer pays to farmers is absolutely ridiculous. Farming is not what it used to be where the farmers didn't make enough money to support themselves and therefore needed subsidies, but instead, they make money hand over fist and then get free handouts from the government (our money). Take a look sometime at the amount of money that was paid in gov subsidies to farmers in your county. It will make you sick. I'm an engineer for a rural electric company. One farmer just reached out to me wanting me to design 7 irrigation systems for him. He is putting in a total of 11, but only 7 fall under our electric territory. Average cost to install an irrigation system is from 100,000-200,000 depending on size of system. I am not trying to come off as divisive or to paint a bad picture of a certain group. Most farmers I know are great people who work hard, but I think it's time we reprioritize how our money is spent. Then again, I disagree with most of what our tax money is spent on. By the way, farming subsidies paid by the American taxpayer last year: $46 billion directly paid by American taxpayer.

There is some interesting information in there, however, I think it isn't looking at the real issues. For instance, it states that one of the pros is that it protects the US food supply as if it were in jeopardy of not having enough food for the nation. However, 38% of grain is wasted due to spoilage and other things before it can even be used. To me, knowing very well how these subsiies work, they are nothing more than an American-taxpayer funded handout to people who already have more money than what they know to do with. Obviously, I am speaking very broadly. I know there are farmers who do not do as well as I am speaking, but they are also not the ones getting the biggest subsidies. The ones getting the biggest subsidies are the ones that produce the most crop of whatever the government wants them to. This whole thing is like a gofundme for a millionaire because he wants a new car... it doesn't make sense. And this is all coming from a guy who lives in a farming community, has worked on farms for many years, and is very close friends with a lot of farmers.

I don't understand what you're trying to say...? 

Hemp farming!

They aren’t giving subsidies for people to start farms. They are giving subsidies to already established farms that produce the types of crops the government wants them to produce. The more quantity the farm can produce, the more subsidies paid to that farm. In order to get subsidies, you have to have an established farm. In order to have an established farm, you have to have ground to farm on. In order to have ground to farm on, you have to have capital. You notice how no one starts a new farm anymore? It’s because unless your grandparents or more likely great grandparents started the farm when the ground was actually a reasonable price, there’s no way anyone could afford it now. No one is getting into farming because unless you have ridiculous capital, you can’t afford to start. If your farm is already established, you make money hand over fist.

Sculver is spot on. The subsidies are going to established farmers who dont need the money. We are around 9-10k per acre around johnson county for straight up tillable. Only the big dogs can expand, anymore.

Government makes it next to impossible. Hemp has to register almost a negative number for thc content. You are under constant scrutiny from usda and Dea. If one plant test above the threshold for thc, they can and will destroy the whole crop. "But hemp doesn't register any thc content". No but if Johnny down the street decides to plant some of the devils lettuce in his back yard and grows a male plant to maturity and the pollen catches in the wind and lands on your plants it will.

Then we have to figure out who's going to extract the hemp from the plants. See how many facilities you can find. Now call them and ask them how long until you can get your crop in there to be extracted.

62 acres behind me sold for 120,000 5 years ago. 20 acres woods, rest farm. Passed on opportunity to buy it for 120,000 after loggers got done. Changed three hands since. Owner now wants 300,000.

The US Farm Subsidies need a complete overhaul. It does make you sick when you see what some farmers receive free each year. It is more than I make working 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year. I know several grain farmers that don't work but two or three months out of the year. When these programs first came out it helped the small farmers that were in need. It's been a very long time since I saw a poor farmer that was having a hard time making it.