You cant be a farmer if you farm your DADS place ?

You cant be a farmer if you and your BROTHER own the farm 50- 50 ?  

I know way to deep for some. A old farmer that survived the depression raising turkeys out in the brush told me that 50+ years ago. 

  Also as for invasive weed control, which he doesn't do just causes everyone else that is trying to control invasive species will never get control of them. If a business is to survive and thrive, it should do so on it's own merits, not because of taxpayer support. I had a conversation with the county agent about this years ago when I was required to control invasive species on the CRP easement on my property. I'd tried everything known available to me, short of constant mowing, which wasn't allowed. Upon asking what I could do as long as my neighbor was doing nothing, I'd always have a problem. The agent asked who my neighbor was and after giving him the name, I was told 'Just mow it whenever you want. I'll make a note in your file"  I am of the belief that the rules and consequences should apply to all equally. 

  My opinion of the definition of a farmer would be someone who is a good steward on the land he uses to produce food and fiber, leaving it in better condition for the next generation and could not apply to anyone grabbing all they could from the land before selling out to a developer.  

It isn't just farmers who get the farm subsidies.  There are "partners" as well.

https://www.kcrg.com/2021/05/17/secret-subsidies-payments-to-farms-allowed-to-stretch-far-beyond-rural-america-sowing-concern-about-who-gets-what/" rel="nofollow - https://www.kcrg.com/2021/05/17/secret-subsidies-payments-to-farms-allowed-to-stretch-far-beyond-rural-america-sowing-concern-about-who-gets-what/

My dad told me that a "Ranch" in Texas was 5 acres.

But there are some things that could make the rest of us smarter if we keep discussing.

I have had my hand out looking for government money since 1978. The last grain I harvested was in 2016. Since 16 I have still planted 60 acres of hay. No subsidy for that but the all risk crop insurance. Even with record drought has not payed to have it. It one year back in 11 or 12. But if they ever pay it made out on the insurance for native grass grazing, but nobody knows when payday will be. Glad I don't have to keep a banker at bay about that. But I never had more than 800 acres of cropland and no bend in the middle tractors so I guess I never made really made it to BTO. But I did support a wife and 3 kids by farming from 1979 until about 1990 when my started substitute teaching looking for a real teaching job. She had a hard time, could no tow the union/liberal line a teacher should do.

If you really want to farm and don't have specialty crop or ag truism or other specialty "thing" you better figure on taking "farmers welfare" because 99% of the other people that would farm what ground you do will take it. Not say I think we should have it BUT WE DO. Several times in my farming life congress started to cut it down. BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED.

Now if you tell me conservation compliance cost more than the payment , I can see why you would get out. I know several that stopped participating in the program here for that reason. But most stayed here and they never enforced the rules the way they said they would at the start. They said by random draw I was selected 3 years in a row for inspection.  The only trouble I had was a fallow field that had voles eat the cover crop off like it was overgrazed by by sheep, goats, and cows all at once. The inspector was from 300 miles away and knew his stuff. There had been a good amount of volunteer barley, and with a bit of digging you could find handfuls 2 inches deep every foot or so. So a act of GOD, that it was bare. 

Anybody that does participates knows the form you must sign swearing you don't make a million.  Some how that does not seem to a apply if you are a millionaire you just have 10 other corporations or something.  

Oh being nosey I looked at IRS  form 1040 F, if you sold crop or livestock you better report it so your favorite uncle can let you help pay the national debt off. But if you do tillage for other farmers that is not farming and goes on a different form. Along with other not really farming things, most of us think of as farming. So I go to a professional tax man to get my forms done.  After a year or 2 of my wife full time teaching my tax guy say you don't qualify as a farmer that doesn't need to pay estimated taxes quarterly.  So I guess that take the guess away  I have not been a real farmer for a long time.

For the less ........................... my Farmers are outstanding in their field comment. Nobody in North America has starved because there was not food available to them. And if they wanted it as bad as drugs or alcohol they could of found money for it, or a way to trade for it. Just saw something that better than 20%(could of been over 30%) of food grown in NA is not eaten because 100's of reasons. But it's there if you are hungry.  

KEEP FARMING BECAUSE WE don't seem to care if we make money CAUSE FARMING IS FUN

someone who plans for next year in November 

someone who hates doing bookwork so he can go see his taxman in December

someone who pays for seed and fertilizer 4 months before they are planted or applied

someone who goes to a bible study only to leave with more questions then he came with

someone who removes their snow with a blower, tractor/loader, or pickup and push blade

someone who pays $20.00 a year to sit through a boring 2 hour restricted use spray schooling

someone who airs up the tires and repacks wheel bearings

someone who has a pickup cab full of Milwaukee cordless tools and empty RC bottles

someone who kneels in the dirt, scratches for the seed to ensure they are planted at the 2" depth and spaced correctly .

someone who puts an old bath towel in a carboard box for a cat to have her kittens

someone who sharpens lawn mower blades

someone who will help you on moving day

someone who fills and empties his own grease guns

someone who picks up rocks

someone who still thinks a pickup is not a pickup without an 8' box (4wd is a must)

someone who can run a tractor with or without GPS

someone who will help a stranger change a tire

someone who can setup, fill, operate, clean out, and winterize a sprayer

someone who can weld, change out circuit breakers, and replace kitchen faucets

someone who prays for rain and prays against tornadoes

someone who will show up without being askes to help with tornado cleanup

someone who can drive their pickup while looking at their crops out the side window

someone who is deadly with a rifle or a pool cue

someone who can backup a trailer or 4 wheeled wagon

someone who has a little four wheeler but still would like a side by side 

someone who can drive a straight trucks or semi's (if they are 3 peddle automatics)

someone who hates weeds in their fields

someone who checks over the daughters Oldsmobile before she goes back to collage 

someone who can change out sickle teeth and replace the guards as needed

someone who can chew corn or soybeans and can tell you their moisture content

someone who prays for a safe harvest

someone who can combine early in the day and long into the night 

someone who can make most of their own repairs

someone who longs for the combining to be done and is sadden when it is

someone who can set a plow, V ripper, or disk ripper 

someone who will wash it all up and store it all away

someone who gives thanks for another safe year 

someone who looks out at the snow covered fields and can't hardly wait to do it all again