Companies Leaving Crop Insurance

Bloomberg has a post on companies (Wells Fargo, Cargill, Deere) leaving crop insurance.

That development somewhat counters the argument that government subsidies to crop insurance are too high.  On the other hand, given the size of these companies, it may be that the hassle is too much for the potential profits, particularly since prices have declined.

Cottonseed Equals Oilseed?

Illinois extension has a discussion on the possibility of cottonseed being added to the list of oilseeds covered by farm programs.  Up to now, even though cottonseed is more than 50 percent by weight of the product of the cotton plant, the fiber has been considered the crop, with cottonseed a useful by-product, like milk is the product of the dairy cow, with the meat being a by-product.  Apparently there's a push on to implement a provision of the farm bill to add it as an oilseed, but there's budgetary implications (maybe one billion dollars, almost real money) and trade-offs in terms of program provisions and encouraging/discouraging crops. 

The Economics of Commodities--Almonds

As Yogi said, deja vu all over again.

My mother, a woman of decided opinions, which I'm just now realizing, would rail at the stupidity of the poultry.  Egg prices would go up, people would buy chicks and raise layers, the supply would increase, the prices would go down to the point people were losing money.

The same logic has been followed over and over, with variations, with respect to different commodities.  Most recently it's been oil.  Remember the days of peak oil, of $130 a barrel? 

Now it's almonds, as described in the linked article. 

Big Farm--In Russia, Not Texas

NY Times has an article on American ranchers from Wyoming teaching Russian how to handle cattle. There's an operation with 1.5 million acres*, which seems bigger than any Texas operation (the King ranch is under a million).  The Russians are amazed at how hard the Americans work, and the fact they don't do it on vodka.

*  Granted, this isn't contiguous acres, which makes a bit of difference.

Hard To Foresee the Future--Farm Programs

Agriculture.com reports new CBO projections: higher outlays under the FSA farm programs PLC/ARC and lower outlays under crop insurance.

Gentrification of the Neighborhood

The Post magazine has an article on the proposal for a bridge park in DC, modeled somewhat on the High Line in NYC.  It would cross the Anacostia river on old bridge piers, connecting the poorer Anacostia neighborhood with the richer Capitol Hill neighborhood.  One of the big concerns is the likely gentrification of Anacostia, the driving out of lower-income dwellers and replacement by richer yuppies.

It strikes me that this gentrification is the story of America.  Developers, like the English, see land which isn't being used to its maximum given current economic and technological conditions, acquire the property by hook or crook, and resell it to new people for a profit. 

8 Inch Floppies

The mention of 8 inch floppy disks in this Govexe post (on outdated technology in our nuclear weapons military/industrial complex) brings back memories of the IBM System/36

What a 74-Year Old Can Do

I'm about 7 months older than Sen. Sanders, so for a little while longer we're both 74 years old.  I've just spent 2 days doing a lot of snow shoveling.  Based on that experience, I don't believe Bernie is up to the demands of the Presidency.  While there are and have been examples of elderly leaders, it doesn't make sense to elect someone whose second term would end when he's 82.  Even 79 is a bit old for me.

Privacy and Genealogy

Made a run to the store, first for Starbucks, then for food. (My priorities). 

The brain cells are clicking just enough to comment on genealogy and privacy.  I subscribe to ancestry.com, and have several family trees there (mostly trees for people who might be related, partially to help my cousin in her researches).

Today Ancestry published their first ever Transparency Report, describing the times they have been asked for data by law enforcement and the times they released it. They also revised their policies. My brain's not up to reading it, but they refer to the EU's rules on moving personal data.  Just one more straw in the wind of future concerns on data.

Snow Days

About 28 inches here in Reston.  That's enough I think that our usual snow plow (pickup truck with blade) won't be much use.  The cul-de-sac has cars on both sides.  Usually the plow can scrape snow to the ends, leaving a ridge behind the cars that you have to shovel.  With this much snow I don't think the approach will really work.  We'll see--I remember an early snowstorm, maybe late 70's, where we waited and waited until finally a front loader came in.  That may be necessary this time.

The ethics of snow are interesting--to dig out your car you can either throw the snow into the drive path behind the car or carry it to the front of the car.  The first hurts the rest of the people in the cul-de-sac, particularly those who live further up the cul-de-sac, making it harder for them to get out.  The second hurts the back.

So far I've seen two four-wheel drive vehicles, one pickup, one jeep, make it out to the road, both after significant trouble; two other four-wheel SUV's  tried and failed to make it out.  Wife and I are reconciled to being house-bound for another day.