There are many problems facing agriculture besides low commodity prices. One of the more visible is parts and machinery costs. When Versatile was taken over by Ford, there were immediate large price increases.
When New Holland took over, more immediate large price increases. I recently had a canvas roller break. When I checked on availability and price, I discovered they wanted $314 for the part. A machine shop could make it for half of that price. Two days later an electric fuel pump on a 276 Versatile failed. It had less than 100 hours service.
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Producers face the reality of shifting grain price expectations
Significant price shifts have occurred in various grains as compared to what was expected at the beginning of the calendar year. Crop insurance prices can be used as a base for the changes.
Last year I bought this pump for $153, this year $181. I am sure their cost to produce the pump didn’t go up 18 percent so why did my cost go up 18 percent? Parts that cost $10 and $12 10 years ago can cost $80 or more.
Inflation can only account for a fraction of the increase.
A great deal of time and effort is being spent on demonstrations this summer. I believe these actions are a total waste of time. If we want to get some attention, let’s harvest our crops and put them in the bins.
Tell your creditors “We aren’t going to pay the bills, we aren’t going to pay any interest, and we aren’t going to let you take anything away from us.”
It’s time for us to join together and dig in our heels. The labor unions do it all the time and it sure seems to work for them.
– Roger Brandl,
Fort St. John, B.C.
![Protesters crowd a street carrying signs that read, "Global warming real. In other news, water is wet," and "Stop denying the [blue painted pic of the Earth] is dying."](https://static.producer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29145152/158171_web1_2019-10-18T222818Z_1221762151_RC14C26A65A0_RTRMADP_3_CLIMATE-CHANGE-THUNBERG-1200-220x165.jpg)
