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Hi, I am not picking on Murray's choice of breakfast food but his reference to Corn Flakes and farmers offers me an opportunity for a little consumer education. Yesterday morning the local price of corn picked up on our farm was $1.56 per bushel (U.S.). That coverts to $.0017 per ounce ( less than 1/5th of a cent). A bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds. Since we are in the middle of harvest the price is dropping nearly every day (supply and demand). The price of a 24 ounce box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes in the local store is $3.39 ---- or just a little over $.14 (14 cents) per ounce. Therefore-----the farmer receives about $.04 (4 cents) for the corn in a 24 oz. box of corn flakes that sells for $3.39. That is about 1.2% of the retail price. Out of that 1.2% the farmer has to pay for: Seed Fertilizer Weed and pest control Fuel Insurance Repairs to equipment Make payments on the mortgage or pay rental to the land owner. Taxes Purchase equipment to replace worn out machinery. AND --- have enough left to buy clothes, groceries, family transportation, pay for children's education, pay for health insurance and medical bills, and all other normal living expenses. I knew there was a reason my checkbook runs a little low at times. Paul janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset 613 256 8340 po box 171 almonte ontario canada K0A 1A0 a new voice: <http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/> <[log in to unmask]>