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Farm News & Views for the week of October 7th, 2024

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The September Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, a nationwide measure of the health of the U.S. agricultural economy, found farmers with mixed feelings. First, the survey recorded its lowest readings since March of this year due to declining income prospects that caused the Barometer to fall 12 points to 88 out of 100. The Survey indicates that farmers are concerned about commodity prices, input costs, the future of agricultural trade and how the upcoming election could affect their operations. Also, only 26% of respondents reported that they expect U.S. agricultural exports to rise over the next five years, which is the least optimistic perspective regarding agricultural exports the question was first posed in 2019. In a related question, 78% of farmers said they’re concerned about government policy changes that could affect their farms following the 2024 elections. The majority of farmers expect farmland values to weaken this year, but the Long-Term Farmland Values Index remained positive, rising 5 points higher than the August reading. Also on the positive side, over half of the corn and soybean farmers reported that they currently plant cover crops on part of their farms. In 2021, 41% of cover crop users said they planted cover crops on more than 25% of their crop acreage. By 2023, that percentage had increased to 50%, and in this year’s survey, 68% of cover crop users reported planting cover crops on more than one-fourth of their farms’ acreage.

Over the past week, news reports have focused on the impacts of Hurricane Helene on both residents and farmers in the Southeast Region of the U.S. The storm dumped approximately 40 trillion gallons of water along its path of devastation, which has damaged homes, businesses and farms. The USDA’s final Crop Progress Report, released just before the storm, indicates that approximately 70% of Tennessee’s corn and only 42% of the state’s soybeans had been harvested. The strong winds and heavy rains associated with the hurricane are expected to have heavily damaged crops that were still in farm fields

Congress must be watching too much football, because last week, they again punted the nearly $900 billion federal Farm Bill down the road before leaving Washington for their October recess. The next chance for passing a farm bill will be in the lame-duck session after the election. Fortunately, funds for Farm Bill programs won’t run out immediately because, this often extended program funding is in place until the end of 2024.

The popular Ag Welding Workshop is being offered at Pueblo Community College Southwest Campus Tuesdays from 3 to 6 pm starting October 29th through November 19th. No previous welding experience is required. Class content includes instruction for welding with shielded metal arc, MIG and brazing and cutting with an oxy acetylene torch. The first session will cover safety practices and basic welding skills. The remaining sessions will be hands-on in the welding shop, Participants need to provide their own safety gear, while welding supplies and practice metal will be provided by the class. For information, or registration call 719-549-3163,

During the Conception Bay, Canada, half marathon. Joshua decided to join the race when runners came by the pumpkin farm where he lived. Until he was spotted on Facebook no one knew that Joshua wasn’t at home. After they caught up with him, they picked him up and dropped him off closer to the finish line so he could complete the race with his new friends. Oh, I didn’t mention that Joshua is a 10 year old goat.

Bob has been an agricultural educator and farm and ranch management consultant for over 40 years in southwest Colorado. He writes about agricultural issues from his farm near Cortez, and has helped to produce farm reports on KSJD for more than a dozen years.