The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
"Illinois lawmakers unanimously voted for a Resolution honoring Michael Jackson-many of them had no idea what they were voting for at the time."
Greetings to everyone in Western Illinois. I'm a hope'n everyone enjoyed the cool weather we experienced last week. It may not have been the best conditions, as far as heat units are concerned, for growing that 200 plus bushel per acre corn everyone is thinking about for this fall. But, it sure was likable live'n weather, unless of course you object to wearing a sweater whilst snapp'n beans from the garden.
Think of how cold it would have been if'n it weren't for the siege of "Global Warming" those professors with a degree in aggravation, have been try'n to scare us with. I suppose in reality, some will lay the blame on Ethanol and farmer's high expectations for a fair and descent profit, as the cause of the cooler and wetter than normal grow'n season we have had thus far.
With commodity and livestock prices as low as they now are, some are hope'n for some cash rent adjustments. Haven't heard of any land owners wanting to give up "The good life" yet. But if'n things don't change I speck there'll be a passel of tenants encourage'n the land owners to join the crowd of folks experience'n a decrease in income.
There is a whole lot of debate going on about the sign up for the "ACRE" portion of the 2009 farm program. It seems like a bait and trap scheme to some. Too many triggers to qualify for payments and other non farm urban folk claim it will save billions of taxpayer dollars to be used for hunger and/or congressional travel junkets.
If'n some one saves or gains, then some one else looses. In this case that someone will once again be the farmer and rural areas. It's somewhat like the law of physics. Matter is neither created or destroyed. It only changes form.
In the "ACRE" program, instead of matter we are talking about money. In fact, it fits into the category of "Transferal of Income", that liberal politicians so often talk about now a days.
The bait is that it stabilizes income. Well, I farmed for over 40 years with stabilized income. The government had cheap food policies which allowed farmers to stabilize below the cost of production. In fact, it's local offices were called "ASCS" with the first "S" standing for "stabilization".
Wild animals are caught in traps the way the government is try'n to catch farmers with "ACRE". The trick is to put out some bait ($), not to much, to entice the animal to go where he would ordinarily be cautious about entering. First the animal must be hungry to encourage him to overlook the surroundings of the trap. Once inside and nibbling on the bait, the trap is sprung and its off to a drowning for the varmint.
The government's discovery of new acres and more carry over has lowered prices to the point of hunger for the farmer. He now entertains the promise of more baited money, one out of three years. All's he has to do is give up money from the existing program, five to six dollars per acre, for the gamble of hitting one of several triggers one third of the time for the four year committal period.
The farmer also gives up 20% of his loan value as well. Plus, he gets to hire a CPA to try and figure the whole thing out. A lawyer on retainer probably would help plus a high powered computer expert.
Some are a say'n "no thank you" and take'n the five or six dollars and buying more crop insurance. Now, don't go a blame'n your local FSA staff for these schemes. As it is told, this is Senator Harkins camouflaged brain child. The local FSA staff are a suffering thru this thing as badly as the farmer.
Politicians are an interesting bunch. In Iowa the state fair was a going to carve a buttery likeness of the late Michael Jackson. After much grumbling and many fairgoers threatening not to attend, the fair staff begrudgingly put it to e-mail vote. Of the 100,000 votes cast, 65,000 displayed their passion by voting no. Of the online vote, 97 percent of those submitted were from Iowa.
Illinois could learn a lesson from the Iowa buttered Jackson vote. The Illinois House put itself on record paying homage to Michael Jackson. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the resolution passed unanimously, which would include, it is assumed, representatives for Henderson and Hancock County.
The problem is, lawmakers say they didn't know what they were voting for. House minority leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) defended GOP leadership's decision to permit the resolution without debate stating it was appropriate. Maybe those politicians should have taken an on-line e-mail vote like the Iowa state fair staff did before unanimously decide'n the matter. Many representatives openly stated they never even read the resolution.
Better yet maybe the representatives should have at least read the resolution before voting on it. It makes you wonder if'n they are earning their keep down there in Springfield.
Read the "ACRE" program and study it thoroughly before decide'n one way or the other. Don't find out afterward a mistake was made, as the folk in Springfield did on the Jackson vote. I'm not tell'n ya nay or yea on the "ACRE" program. The point is to be thoroughly studied up and prepared as you negotiate thru what appears to be tough economic times ahead. Don't get caught in a dead end economic trap initiated by "Transferal of Income" from your pocket to someone elses.
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke