wsj: usda sees farm profits plunging 38%, page-4

moneytree, i agree with you in principle but some governments tend to think high food prices are not in their best interests, the masses tend to get restless when they can't afford to eat.

as a farmer i am quite happy to live and die by market forces, unfortunately market forces are not necessarily what dictates the price i recieve for my produce. food is a sensitive issue, hence governments tend to intervene and distort the market. this is part and parcel of investing in agribusiness.

for the record most australian farmers receive a token amount from the government, especially relative to our competitors.