Bernie,
Just like I was asking Brad, what is changing in the last couple of
years that would cause a reversal in dairying in your region? On
Grazersedge, as you know, we have a (now) retired extension agent, who
has worked for years in MO and has seen almost all dairy farms go out of
business in his service area.
It sounds as if the main determinant for success is to be very large in
size for economies of scale? Is it just that no one wanted to do this
and so the smaller operations eventually had to shut down as the farmers
retired or had other reasons for exiting dairying?
Here in Wisconsin, although we do not see a growth in farms, we also do
not see a decrease in production either. My understanding is that
production has been fairly steady. Dave Gneiser probably knows that
better than anyone and can correct me if I am wrong. What happens is
that the more entreprenuerial farmers will buy adjacent land or nearby
land as it becomes available and expand to a larger size farming
operation. That is why we are seeing more 100 to 300 cow dairy farms and
even one 1,000 cow dairy farm in Vernon County.
Sincerely,
Rick W.
Bernie VanDalfsen wrote:
>I was in Lousiana in January and i see lots of potential. Close to a milk
deficit region. Cheap irrigation. Supplement feeds right there. Some large
tracts of land. Just lack of infrastructure. But you get a few operators that
put in several 5-1000 cow set-ups as the kiwis will have done here before long
and infrastructure will follow. Just need about 10,000 cows among say 5 owners.
Once they prove the model the rest will follow. Just as has happened in west
Texas/ east New Mexico.
>
> Bernie
> Reeds, Mo.
>
>
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