“Farming has a definite pull” Not many farmers have law degrees. That’s one reason Tim Bryan stands out from the crowd. His initiative and hard work are other reasons. Before taking over
the family farm –TLCB Farm, a 6,000-acre cash grain operation in
northwestern North Dakota—Tim had a promising future in law. In
fact, he worked in the North Dakota governor’s office. Then the unexpected happened. Tim’s father died, leaving the farm without a manager. “My wife and I decided to switch careers and come back to the farm. It’s been a challenge, but I’m glad we did it. Farming isn’t easy. There are always a hundred things that need to be done. But during the intense times it doesn’t get any better. Farming has a definite pull. Anyone who’s been around a harvest knows what I’m saying. “We’ve accomplished some things in the last ten years. We’ve increased our overall income, updated our equipment line, and made some value-added investments. All in all, we’ve gained stability.” Tim’s wife, Colette, has a master’s degree in Communications from the University of North Dakota and taught French for 15 years. She puts it this way: “Some of my friends and classmates were shocked we moved here. They thought we were going to the end of the earth. But we couldn’t be happier. There isn’t any other place I’d rather be. It’s beautiful! We’re working hard; we’re happy; we have pride in what we’re doing; and our son has a wonderful place to grow up. What more would you want?” Finding ways to diversify Traditionally, farming in grain country has meant relying on one or two crops. It’s a huge gamble. One bad year can break you, so Tim is always looking for ways to spread the risk. “We decided against cattle, because we’d have to move them south for finishing. And that would mean losing much of their real value. The marketing cycle works against you, too. When the calves are being weaned, it’s time to sell—and, usually, that’s exactly the worst time to sell.
Value-added ventures The Bryans have looked beyond crops for opportunity, too. “Durum wheat is a good crop for us, but getting a good, consistent price has always been a problem. Hedging isn’t possible. The market isn’t as large and liquid as, say, corn or soybeans, so durum futures are ignored. Establishing a standard grade is difficult, since there’s maybe ten different prices based on the evaluation of protein, starch, damage, color and weight. “But we found a way to get more control of our product’s value through the Dakota Growers Pasta Company, a producer-owned cooperative. 1,155 growers have invested in manufacturing pasta. And it’s been successful. Locally, we sell under our own name. But most of our product is sold under a variety of labels in all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. And we’re growing. I believe we just cut a deal to market through major club stores, especially in California.” The Bryans also invested in an elk ranch, selling velvet and antlers to the Asian market. “So far,” Tim says, “it’s just a novelty. It’s an experiment that could be profitable if the Asian economy improves.” Declining population According to the U.S. Census, Burke County, North Dakota, which includes most of the Bryan’s land, lost 25.3% of its population between 1990 and 2000, dropping from 3,002 residents to 2,242. That’s one of the most severe drops in the nation, and it concerns the Bryans. The decreased tax base has affected the schools and local government. Eventually, it could affect some farm support businesses. “So far, we’ve been lucky,” Tim says. “Things aren’t as bad as they are in parts of Montana, where folks have to move to town in the winter to be near the schools. I’m concerned, so I accepted an appointment to the North Dakota State Board of Ag Research and Education. We have to find ways to keep our community strong.” Other concerns “There are other things that disturb me,” Tim says, “like lack of operator ownership. I have a particular objection to the conservation reserve program that retires farms in return for long-term income payments. That’s a loss of capitalization for this area. The money leaves here; the local area never sees any benefit. It removes a whole economic source from the community. And the lack of farm labor is a problem. I need to employ people to farm, and that pool of folks is getting smaller and smaller. If my son is going to run this farm, I’m not sure where he’ll find labor.” Modern equipment, of course, helps Tim and his labor force get the job done.
“The 9882 is the latest version of a long line of tractors that have made a big difference on our farm. They’ve provided the power and features that meet our needs, at a cost that fits our budget.” Networking Agriculture is key to the northern plains economy. Maybe that’s why northern plains farmers tend to network extensively, working together for the common good. It’s a definite strength and advantage. “North Dakota has a rich tradition of direct farmer involvement to accomplish economic stability and promote political objectives,” says Tim. “We use cooperative structures extensively. I’m on the local elevator board and a member of a local marketing club. Our crop improvement association is countywide. I’m a past member of the advisory board of the regional research and extension center in Minot, which is 12 counties wide. Those kinds of activities stimulate networking. Plus our grower organizations, the North Dakota Farmers Union, the North Dakota Farm Bureau and the North Dakota Grain Growers foster the same kind of cooperative effort. And it translates into political activism. It gives us input into the make-up of the farm bill.” Crop insurance “If it weren’t for government farm programs and crop insurance, even the biggest farms here would be in trouble. Crop insurance has been an absolute necessity the last couple years. In 2000, we had a good crop coming into harvest. And then the last day of August and into September we had continual fog and mist—very unusual that time of year. 90% of the crop was in the field, and it started to sprout. The starch content of the crop dropped dramatically, and cut the value of our crop from about $3.80 to $.75 a bushel. Crop insurance saved us, but still didn’t make up for everything. “It gets back to the question of whether the U.S. taxpayer wants to have farm production in the U.S., and the cheaper and safer food that goes with that. Or are we going to import food and the problems that come with it?” |
