"Farmers working doubly hard"

Adapted from: William Pack, San Antonio EXPRESS - NEWS, Business Section, Sunday, May 4, 2008.

"With grain prices approaching records and livestock markets lower but still respectable, farmers and ranchers are putting in late hours to get the most they can out of land that disappoint financially.

"Oddly enough their hours have lengthened because so many aren't spent on the farm as all.

"Producers instead are managing farm supply stores, working at manufacturing jobs or getting paid for other tasks during daylight hours.

"Farm duties often are squeezed in when time allows.

"This year, net farm income is expected to set a record at $92.3 billion.

"But if you're what the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls an average farmer, you're not planning to hit it big on the back of surging ag prices..."

As an example we read:

"2008

Average farm income: $89, 434.
Average nonfarm income: $75,805.
Average farm operation earnings: $13,629."

A good (yet kind of sad!) read....