Being a really big farmer probably isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Still, most of us aspire to expand our operations.
The definition of big keeps changing. Even farms seeding 5,000 acres now consider themselves pretty small compared to the mega farms.
Equipment continues to get bigger, faster and more efficient, so the amount of land you can seed and harvest with one set of equipment continues to increase.
Once that limitation is reached, the next logical step is two seeders and two combines.
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If you’re running more than two of the largest seeders and combines, by most definitions you’re a pretty large operator. You probably need more employees than just family members and you probably have much more rented land than land you own.
These large players are both re-vered and despised. If you’re a seller of farm inputs or machinery or if you’re a grain marketer, these are A-list customers. Everyone wants their business.
Neighbouring farms trying to compete for land take a different view. Land lust runs deep and when a big player, often from outside the local area, scoops up a big chunk of ground, you can bet there are many unhappy locals.
Some observers list mega farms as a failing of agriculture in Western Canada, but there aren’t many who will openly advocate for any sort of limit on how much farmland can be under the control of one operator.
Those sorts of restrictions run contrary to the free enterprise spirit that pervades the countryside.
As well, most of the mega farms remain family based and many of them are extremely efficient, top notch producers. They didn’t get big by losing money.
Privately, many of us probably wonder what it would be like to run a really big operation. While it might stroke the ego, it might not be good for sanity and work-life balance.
Are big farmers happier? Are their spouses and kids happier? Do you see them serving on industry boards and commissions or volunteering in the community?
They can probably afford more exotic winter vacations if they aren’t so driven that they don’t want to take time off.
When farms get really big, the head of the operation tends to become a manager of people and a wheeler dealer.
Sometimes this is accomplished from the cab of the tractor, combine or sprayer, but often they have to step back and do the managing rather than the field work.
Most of us farm because we like to be hands-on. And we’d rather know the person running the combine instead of trusting a new employee with that expensive investment.
Do you prefer to grow a relatively small number of crops and be throughput oriented, or do you enjoy trying different crops and approaches? Do you have a connection with the land or is it just another money-making asset?
Farmers are great philosophers and you’ll often hear someone say, “You can’t take it with you.” Or they may say, “Everyone gets about the same sized casket or urn in the end.”
While this is true, it also hides a measure of envy. As long as farm size is viewed as the measurement of success, the really big farms will continue to inspire others to follow the same path.
The optimum size of a grain farm continues to increase, but it’s difficult to see the value of mega farms to the economy, the community or even the people involved.
