The examples given here of auto makers pulling out of the U.S. to reduce labor costs just don't hold water. In fact, the trend has been in the opposite direction. While the big three have built new plants in Mexico and Canada over the last few decades, many more new plants have been built in the U.S. One of the first new auto plants in the U.S. in decades was the Chrysler "Jefferson North" assembly plant in Detroit. It went up in the late 1980s, and I used to drive by it every day. They now build Grand Cherokees there, and I think that the Viper is also assembled in that plant.

The real trend, though, has been to put up new plants in the midwest and southeast. Why? Because there is plenty of reliable and well-educated workers. Working on an auto assembly line takes some intelligence and a great work ethic if you want to produce high quality cars, and the world is demanding quality these days. Sure, laborers can be had for $1.00 a day in some parts of the third world, but you can't produce a complex product there. American labor is a great value when compared to Europe and Japan. Auto workers in Germany and Japan make three to four times what U.S. auto workers make.

As a result, most "Japanese" cars are made in the U.S. these days. All of the major Japanese car companies built plants here in the 80s and 90s. Hondas are built in Ohio, where lots of them are actually shipped BACK TO JAPAN! Nissans are built in Tennessee. The same goes for the Germans. Both BMW and Mercedes built new assembly plants in the U.S. in the last decade (BMW in South Carolina and Mercedes in Alabama, IIRC).

The real loser has been the American midwest. Those old plants that were built in the early part of the 20th century are archaic, and the labor costs in the rust belt are much higher than in the south. Still, the big three continue to invest there. Ford is spending BILLIONS to rebuild the massive River Rouge complex in Detroit, which is, after all, where the modern auto industry all began.

 

I'll check into that, I know the very low volume stuff is still here like the Viper plant. That is why I said 'very few exceptions'. High volume work left long ago.

DC hasn't abandoned us by any measure? You do know that DC profits belong to a German company now, not the American company that owned them when they needed a huge financial hand?

 

FARMER,

OBRIEN has an EXCELLENT point for you!

There is a woman here in California, I believe in Marin, who grows exotic mushrooms exclusively for the restaurant industry. She is making a fortune in a "niche" market......in her backyard!

I could build ya a hothouse in a heartbeat!

Fresh, organic herbs for restaurant use....bring outrageous prices to the grower. The need for "Fresh - Daily".....may be your salvation?

GO to ANY grocery store * check out the price of "processed spices & herbs". $8.00 for 2 Oz. of Cream of Tartar!!!! $5.00 for 3 Oz. of course ground Garlic!!!! Think about the value of a "fresh" gourmet cash crop? If you factor O/N shipping into your cost, you still make money!

My family farms & ranches a huge section of Southern Nebraska, between Omaha & Lincoln, in and around Kearny. At one point in time they converted over a million acres of corn to soy.....when the market was strong....opps! Too many did the same. Back to a million acres of corn!

You have to be DIFFERENT to succeed! I Understand your plight!

Do the Math....Do your homework....then just Do It !!!

Jane

 

Producing a crop that is different is a good idea but still has drawbacks. To be profitable you would generally have to produce a large amount. Therefore you would probably have to retool your equipment. If they even make the implements you need. Another problem is weather. In California it may not be a big deal, but it is -13 degrees fahrenheit here right now and will get over a 100 degrees in the summer. I.E. a limited growing season. Along with the fact that it has been corn-soybeans-grain for as long as I can remember around here. Geting the product to market could pose a potential PITA also, a small plot to supplement income would probably be a good trial run, but I feel the cost to completely convert to a new product would be unfeasible. FARMFORWARD, keep it going, my family didn't make it to the seventh generation. The independent American Farmer is slowly disappearing I pray you can keep it profitable and in the family. LOL

 

Not to seem like I'm arguing, but it doesn't matter where the profit goes as long as they keep investing in products to keep the US workers employed. Afterall, it's the company's money, not the USA's. I work for a very large Swedish company that builds products in all parts of the world including the US. And it happens that the products we sell in this market are designed and tested in this market. I'm very proud to work for this company. It doesn't bother me in the least to be an American working for a foreign company.

And it seems you are forgetting about the component plants that each of the BIG3 own to produce parts to make the cars they build. Most all of these are still domiciled in the US.