AFB: Farmers Feeling Good Heading To Election Day

The American Farm Bureau said producers are feeling a bit more confident as they head to the polls this week, a sharp change from a few weeks ago.  A few weeks ago, producers were worried about collapsing markets, the lack of trade deals with Mexico, Canada, South Korea, and the EU, as well as the near complete loss of top market, China.  But AFB Executive Director Dale Moore said that picture has quickly changed amid updated trade deals, and the possibility that a deal could be reached with China.

“While we don’t yet have concrete results to show how it’s turned trade around, how it’s turned markets around, but we’re definitely seeing some confidence that the efforts are underway to get those issues resolved.”

But Moore acknowledged that international fights are still weighing heavy on prices.

“So we need to see some real uptick in where those market prices are, and I think a lot of it has to do, you know, we’ve been hearing positive things about Secretary Perdue announcing that  he expects to make the full second half of that trade mitigation package payment, that’s certainly welcomed news.  And as we look out at the lame duck everyone is hoping and praying that one of the first things that gets sorted out is getting the new Farm Bill done.”

Producers are not out of the woods yet, but the Ag outlook is looking brighter than it was just weeks ago, and that’s a big relief after a long spate of bad farm news.

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