Land should be owned
A very interesting article was written by Mr. Su in the (WP July 9), “Sask. farmland: perception versus reality,” but let’s put a farmer’s spin on it.
You talk about fair value versus market value. Farmers deal every day with real value.
If that quarter of land on the title has 160 acres, but the reality in our area is that quarter has 120 cultivated acres, but with the last five years of excessive moisture, you are lucky to get 100 acres seeded. On that 100 acres this year, the yields might be 15 bushels an acre canola.
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So that quarter gave you 1,500 bu. of product to sell at whatever price you choose to sell it at. This is what the land produces, this is what farmers come up with for what they are willing to pay for land.
Every area is different and each farmer unique, so everyone has their own way of figuring out what they are willing to pay for land.
I farm in an area with a large amount of absentee landowners, mostly from China. With the demise of several large corporate farms lately, this land is sitting idle, producing nothing but weeds and an environmental disaster.
I feel that it is critical that land ownership remain in farmers’ hands. Without the pride of ownership, land stewardship is a very challenging objective.
Many decisions farmers make have little economic sense on a short-term scenario but a huge difference on a long-term plan.
Farmers always think on long-range goals, worrying about soil health, weed control and nutrient management. Long-range goals can only be achieved through land ownership or long-term rental agreements with dedicated and interacted landowners.
On the other hand, investors only care about the money and no long-term plans can ever be successfully negotiated with them because the active investment mindset is on short-term monetary gains.
Land is not a liquid commodity like oil or gold. It is not meant to be processed and shipped.
I urge the government to change the laws to keep farmland ownership in farmers’ hands. If you choose to come here and buy land and farm, I would welcome you with open arms and wish you good luck.
Farming is a tough business and anyone wanting to invest in land should learn that first-hand.
If you want to see the future, you have to look in the past. Two hundred years ago our ancestors left Europe in droves to come to a place where they could own land.
Their hard work turned our nation into a world power, all from a dream of land ownership. Do not take that dream away from future generations of Canadians.
Travis Keisig,
Ituna, Sask.
Changing capitalism
The program on the CBC last night about the doom and gloom of the population explosion and the results to be felt throughout the world was most alarming.
The very assumption that the working class will always just sit idly by while capitalism destroys everything and concentrates the wealth produced by the working class in fewer and fewer hands is insulting to say the least.
Eventually, they will take responsibility and force the world to take a co-operative approach instead of a competitive one.
When their very existence depends on action, the producers of all the goods and services will be forced to move to a more equitable world system. It is not that they aren’t capable of making the change. It is just that they aren’t aware yet.
Do not forget nature has marvelous capacity to undo all man’s idiocies and eventually it will happen. They can’t stay oblivious forever. Then they will refuse to produce even the food required.
When that happens, mankind will be able to start to repair the damage and start to safeguard our scarce natural resources.
Capitalism is only one system and can be changed. It only requires a different approach to what is really important — namely, survival of all species.
Jean H. Sloan,
Lloydminster, Sask.
