Ethanol in motorcycles (15 percent coming soon!) / 4 Gal Min mandate

[SparkyBlue]

Originally Posted by KenH

Net would then be $2550 per acre, maybe $50 less in drought years to power irrigation. Multiply that by 900 acres, and that field is making a profit $2,250,000 per year. At that rate, land bought for $5000/acre is paid off in 2 years. Top-of-the-line tractor, grain drill, spray coupe, combine with header, grain truck, and center pivot irrigation system will set you back with header will set you back $700,000. Pay off the entire operation in three years.

So, why are we subsidizing these businesses?

Politics... maybe I should get in the corn biz

[SL350]

Originally Posted by SparkyBlue

Politics... maybe I should get in the corn biz

Good luck. I don't know anyone even remotely close to Kenh's numbers. The average is 183 bushels per acre and most do use the latest tools and seeds.

[Tattoogunman]

Or zero per acre due to the drought

[KenH]

Originally Posted by SL350

Good luck. I don't know anyone even remotely close to Kenh's numbers. The average is 183 bushels per acre and most do use the latest tools and seeds.

Do they irrigate? If not, they are using drought-resistant varieties with a significantly lower yield even with perfect weather than that usually chosen for an irrigated field.

Just drive around northwest tennessee and southwest Kentucky and pay attention to the number of new 15,000ft^2 shop buildings and millions of dollars worth of new tractors, planters, spray coupes, and combines parked in them. Check out what is parked in the driveways, the ubiquitous turbo-diesel dualie crewcab is being replaced by Class 5 and Class 6 Peterbuilts and Kenworths with custom beds and paint and $20,000 worth of chrome. I'll try to get a picture of one house that has a dualie with a custom hauler bed and a '67 Corvette 427 for Farmer Brown, an Escalade for Mrs. Brown, and three farkled to the max H1s for the boys. notice the number of new McMansions springing up along the edges of the cornfields. No these folks aren't making any money at all.

Originally Posted by Tattoogunman

Or zero per acre due to the drought

Drought is not an issue with irrigation. In fact, drought is a good thing because massive crop failures push prices up.

[wanabeguru]

Pictures WOULD be helpful