My experience with it as a new producer is that you do get assigned some sort of area average margin to start with. You have to be operating for a couple of years before you build a history.
One of the things that could be done to assist with that, and this is being tested right now, is that if you're a young producer and you buy an existing farm--let's say you buy a corporation from a gentleman who could be your father, your uncle, or someone you don't even know--that AgriStability margin should go with the operation. If you are buying out a good, viable farm and you have a strong AgriStability margin, you should make sure that stays with the operation no matter who the owner is. There's value in that too. As accountants we look at that as well, in terms of selling the farm. We think there could be value in there, and it would increase the value of the farm when the producer is selling it, because there would be a safety net with a good margin in place.
But for anyone just jumping in with two feet, cold turkey, it's not as good. We do need to ask what the benchmark is. Area averages take into account farmers who are not very good producers. So you are dragged down by them. Do you look at the top 50% of the producers in the area and say you're going to give an average of their margin? That might be something to look at.