Factors affecting the farming industry... and solutions?

Question

Factors affecting the farming industry... and solutions?

Answer 1

Primarily the cost of inputs: diesel, fertilizer, soil amendments such as lime, chemicals like pesticides, insecticides. Yields of crops grown. The cost of land, machinery. Competition for other land uses.  The prices received for the crops grown. Rain or lack thereof.  Growing populations with increasing living standards, biofuels.  Crop insurance.  The Farm Bill.  Solutions: locking in prices via hedging, praying for rain, using efficient methods and machinery such as minimum or no-tilling where it will work and yield well.

Answer 2

There are many problems and possible solutions. But need to get more scientific information or expertise to implement those solutions.

Problems:                                            Solution

Water:               Green house or water harvesting technologies

Soil:                    Analyse and implement

Fertilizer:            Try to produce on farm

Pest :                   Herbal or biopesticides, crop rotation etc

Weed:                 Manual removal or crop rotation

Environment :     Keep eye on weather forcasting

Seed :                 Look for good company

After doing all these things you need to look at present market trends for getting good price to your produce.

Answer 3

Political tinkering - The folks at EPA are overbearing and unrealistic on the livestock operations.  The low value of the dollar on the world market is wrong.  It allows our goods to be exported to cheaply.  Diesel fuel refined in the US is now being exported to the world due to the strong demand.  This has upset the balance of our economy with much higher costs for every food product, piece of machinery, textiles, etc are all much more expensive to the high cost of fuel.

Improper distribution of payments through the Farm Service Agency for government payments.  Too much of this money goes to too many of the wealthiest farmers and/or landowners (not all farmers are wealthy).  

Too much power in the nations capitol is controlled by the lobbyist who have  deep pockets and legislation too often favors the larger or corporate entities.