[urbanpovertylawcenter]

I have friends in Tn who farm and they are not big agri. Their gov checks are spent getting a crop to market. I do not covet their jobs. $300 an acre to plant corn, equipment failures, drought, too much rain, and a fickle market is not a walk in the park.

[norwaypinesavage]

"gov checks are spent getting a crop to market."

Exactly proof that government subsidies ALWAYS disrupt the free market. I remember the 'Soil Bank' subsidies of the '50s where farmers were paid NOT to grow corn. We repeated the ditty:

Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow
"I've put it all in 'Soil Bank', and live off government dough"

With corn, the market has been distorted so long and in so many ways, it's impossible to tell what the actual value should be. No wonder your friend has trouble with it.