Spreading rock dust on fields could remove vast amounts of CO2 from air

Re:Spreading rock dust on fields could remove vast amounts o... by eru on Thursday July 09, 2020 @02:57AM (#23777668)

> Many farmers are land rich, cash poor, labour costs eat up profit margins.

This is only a problem for people who own agricultural land, not a problem for operating a farm.

Of course, often farmers both own agricultural land and operate the farm. But the roles are separate in principle, and some people farm on leased land.

Now to substantiate my claim: in the longer run, any change in the amount of profit a typical farm makes, will just drive prices of agricultural land up or down. (For the usual arbitrage reasons.)

The rest of your comment is, of course, still very worthwhile. It just has little to do with being land-rich.

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Re:Spreading rock dust on fields could remove vast amounts o... by jelliclesfarm on Thursday July 09, 2020 @12:18PM (#23781816)

I meant in terms of coming up with cash for operating costs in the beginning of the year. Just because you own 100 acres doesn’t mean that you have quarter million liquid cash to get the farm season going until harvest and sales can cover it. Most farm operations run on credit. And uncertainty.

The uncertainty of labour and it’s lack is one more nail on the coffin.

Fun fact: insurance companies and pension funds routinely invest in farmland. This is a risk and speculative game at this point.

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