Planting Time

The month of May is prime time for all Iowa Tractor Boys of the current generation to plant corn. While we have all heard of the ethanol surge in grain prices, we all must be aware that the cost of production for the 2008 Corn Crop will also increase in as much as fuel to operate the farm machinery is also much higher than in previous years. Additionally the fertilizers and other needed supplies have also increased in price as the cost of distribution has increased also. Then, during the harvest season, we all must remember that natural gas to dry the Corn Crop will most likely be more expensive than every before. So you may be asking, who is garnering the extra money because of the high prices of corn on the current futures market? This former "Iowa Tractor Boy" can assure you that it is not the farmers who will be raking in the cash because of the high cost of cereal and other grain products.

The final summary will be to realize that the cost of doing business has simply increased. Just as we who dwell in the cities realize that our wages have increased because of inflation.

So, just as our farmer friends are doing, we must all realize that our food and fuel will never be as reasonable as we recall from our past. Everyone will most likely have to adjust their own lifestyles.