The Ag Economy Barometer drifted lower in January to a reading of 167, a decline of seven points compared to December and equal to the index’s November reading. Organizers say the barometer’s decline over the last three months is attributable to weaker expectations for the future. The Index of Future Expectations has fallen 35 points or about 19% since October. …
Farm Bankruptcies Decline During 2020
Farm bankruptcies slightly decreased in 2020, but an industry economist warns farmers are “not out of the woods yet.” Caseload statistics from U.S. Courts indicate that Chapter 12 family farm and family fishery bankruptcies totaled 552 filings during 2020, down 43 filings, or 7%, from 2019, the third highest over the last decade. American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist John …
Starting 2021 with Better Peanut Prices
As peanut contracts come out from buying points, Southeast farmers are seeing some better prices being offered for the 2021 crop. Tyron Spearman has the story explaining why.
China Still Buying U.S. Peanuts
The latest U.S. peanut export numbers are out, and according to Tyron Spearman, China continues to buy big numbers of in-shell peanuts grown in our country.
Updated Guide to USDA Programs Opens the Door to Available Funding
Due to the wide range of resources available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), it can be difficult for farmers and ranchers to navigate and stay up to date with program changes after each farm bill. But, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants you to know with the newly updated “Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities”, it’s easy to find …
Are Consumers Willing to Pay More for Florida OJ?
Multiple studies point to the value consumers place on Florida citrus and their willingness to pay for the “Florida” brand. Lisa House, director of the Florida Agricultural Market Research Center and a professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida, recently spoke on this subject in a Florida Department of Citrus webinar. She provided an overview of …
No Big Changes in January Cattle Feedlot Numbers
In USDA’s first Cattle on Feed Report for 2021, there wasn’t a big change in numbers from a year ago. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on January 1, just slightly above January 1, 2020. And as Gary Crawford reports, the numbers in this …
Farmland Market and Prospects for 2021
One expert says farmland values managed to hold their ground in 2020, despite Covid-19. Gary Crawford has a story looking at what those values are expected to do in 2021.
Georgia Lawmakers Hold Budget Hearings
Week two of the 2021 Georgia State Legislative Session was a bit different, as lawmakers were involved in budget hearings. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) Public Affairs Manager, Jake Tench, explains what actually took place this week. To keep track of activities during the 2021 legislative session, go to the GAC website.
Florida Legislators Looking at State Finances Ahead of 2021 Session
(NSF) — A top Florida economist mentioned in a ????? article told lawmakers last week that financial problems could linger for a couple of years because of the resurging coronavirus pandemic. This comes as first-time unemployment claims tripled in the first full week of 2021. Amy Baker, the coordinator of the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, says that …