I’ve been seeing some of the same right around me.  Treelines that divide fields being dozed, good, high-grass, bedding areas going to corn, etc.  In Knox County I’ve also noticed much more timber cutting than in other surrounding counties.

Posted by Treehugger on April 10

Don’t even get me started about all the ripping out of fence rows etc. Coming from a farming background, and with my husband still contract farming - I can easily see why people are letting goof their CRP ground; and it is a shame. On the cash rent side of things,  at least in our neck of the woods the prices are going up. We are seeing small farmers lose some of the neighboring smaller farms they have cash rented or 1/3 and and 2/3 farmed for years because a larger more corporate style farming operation came in offered up more money.

Posted by G on April 11

To Bowfisher- I agree to an extent, but every inch might be taking it too far.  I have hunted birds over the same ditches in Central, IL for over 20 years and the techniques used today are not those of a land conscious business men.  There is a reason for filter strips it holds down erosion, and those ditches that run through those fields are there to carry water way to increase yield.  When you rip up the trees and the root balls holding the banks together so you can plow/plant 12 inches closer the creek edge you are creating a hole in the earth that will erode to well over 6 ft in the next 2 years.  Field tile are meant to be crushed so that 10 foot grass patch that was helping field drainage is now 2 foot tall corn w/ little return.  Fact of the matter is that anything that gets in the way of the farmers GPS and path from one end of the field to the other is public enemy #1.  Get used to it boys technology and 2 extra rows are removing the 1 invasive species I love from this great state.  The only time a farmer will drive his tractor is when he has to swerve in and out of the ditch to plant in between the power poles!

Posted by PIMPSTAFFER HATER on April 11

As those farmers are swerving in and out of those power poles, they are in fact farming on state (or county)right of way. Too bad those agencies can’t or won’t charge the farmer rent and then put the money into a conservation based fund.

Posted by Webfoot64 on April 11

In Illinois, Landowner newsletter reports that cash rents are up 19% this year. Top quality land is nearing $400 an acre. The rise is $50 an acre for average-quality farmland - an average of $270 an acre. The gain is $35 an acre for fair-quality cropland - an average of $218 an acre.

There are a lot of good reasons not to try to farm every acre - filter strips, etc. Much of the CRP ground I’ve seen just should never be put back into row crop production. However, as a Russian farmer once told me, “When prices get high enough, even roosters start laying eggs.”

Posted by springer on April 11

I’ve never seen a farmer farming and easment, at least in Henry county. And lets not forget that these people are allowing us to hunt their property, many just out of the goodness of their hearts, asking nothing in return.  I love to hunt but there are a few things more important than hunting, Family, crop production to feed the world and one that hits a little closer to home, a few extra bucks in my landowners pocket so he and his family can continue to pay the bills and farm, thus still allowing me a place to hunt. That place may have to be a different part of the farm then I usually hunt, but still a place none the less.  You have to think from a farmers perspective. Their not looking to create more habitat, there looking to create more revenue. The property was purchased for the strict purpose of farming, not hunting or habitat creation.  This is all something we will just have to deal with, wether we agree with it or not. the CRP program just simply can’t compete with $14/bushell corn and close to that/bushell soy beans. My thought is the wildlife will still be there, maybe not in the same spot but clsoe by for sure. After all its not like there putting in a housing addition or strip mall,Thank God.

Posted by bowfisher1 on April 11

A lot of the fence and hedge rows were removed around here back in the 70’s when land prices went up. And many are right by saying the farmer owns it and it’s his ground. Most farmers know what happens when erosion starts, thats why you always hear go ahead but don’t cut any ruts and if you need to come get me and we will the tractor. But probably what is happening is the banks that are managing a lot of this ground is the real culprit behind everything being dozed out. They just see profits now on the bottom line but to heck with what happens in the future. I just don’t see a lot of the big corporate farmers doing this to ground they are leasing either, there is to much of a chance of them spending the money then losing the lease and not getting their money back out of it. Then folks like us know that this ground helps wild life and the benefits of it, but I also remember as a kid you would also hear people say, damn farmers are getting goverment checks for not planting their ground.

Posted by berlin on April 11

Land use regulation is nothing new or rare.  I can’t put a hog farm, gas station, or tavern on my land because I live in town and it would have an adverse impact on my neighbors (no matter how much money it would make me)  Requiring that a certain amount of land (like a fence row) be left in a more natural condition to benefit wildlife and for erosion control (which benefits everyone) isn’t that different.  Want to see how much control you have over your land, try opening a strip joint.

Posted by Murdy on April 11

Bottom line is, its not our decision to make.  We might not like some of the things that get done, but we would be better off to just bite our tongues or we may be out of a hunting spot.  Remember hunting is recreation for us, private land access is a privelage not a right,a family farmers land is his livleyhood.

Posted by bowfisher1 on April 11

The higher profits of farming and the resulting taxes on those profits is driving some of the dozer and excavator work that is going on. A farmer can either write the check to the IRS for the taxes, or he can make these types of “improvements” to his land and take the tax deduction. Most of the guys who do contract earth work around here are on a 6-9 month minimum backlog on work right now as a result. Even longer with drainage work into existing fields.

It could get real interesting if the EPA moves forward with the proposed new rules on nitrogen runoff, to address the Hypoxia zone in the Gulf. The farmers may be going back in and replacing the filter strips and plugging the tiles to farm corn in these fields 10 years from now.

Posted by The Colonel on April 12

This is the way I’m looking at it, A farm is a business, when a business needs and knows theres a chance at making a bigger profit they expand. No different with a farmer. A landowner shouldn’t even have to have the thought in his head “We’ll removing this fence row will probably ruin so in so’s hunting season.”

Posted by bowfisher1 on April 12

  Farmer9, I appreciate what you are doing!!! Are you interested in adopting an adult male that loves to hunt?  lol

Posted by enjycreation on April 13

Yes, I do understand this all too well. It amazes me how inconsiderate some have become. The beer cans or whatever other trash that is left behind was heavier when they carried it in than it would have been to carry it out….

Posted by enjycreation on April 13

GR8outdoors, i agree. I personally think the subsidies (esp the cyclical payments) are a waste of taxpapyer money. I had an “off the farm” job for 42 yrs before retiring to make ends meet. Most farmers in my area dont work off the farm, and most have a lot of free time during the year, esp during the winter. A lot of them take extended vacations down south every year. However, a lot of other farmers are “land rich” and cash poor.
Ive made a committment to leave my farm in better condition that when i bought it 16 yrs ago. Ive planted thousands of trees, installed a lake and pond, took 30 acres out of production and put in food plots, prarie grass, etc for a refuge, stopped erosion, and generally improved the land as much as i am physically able. The only time a recd any government money was reimbursement for the CREP trees i planted, and of course the yearly payment (which is gone in two years). All other expenses have come out of my pocket, because i believe its my obligation to pay my own way to improve my farm. I will keep the CREP field with no further gov payments.
My only hope is that my family will continue what i started after im gone.

Posted by farmer9 on April 15

If they really wanted people to enroll in CRP they would change the years of eligibility to a larger number of years.  You have to have reported your tillable acres as certain crops in order to be eligible to enroll.  If you have tillable acres and you want to enroll you should be able to do it.

Posted by pete1972 on April 15