Ontario and U.S. grain producers face many challenges. Photo credit jaybridge.com
Despite the Canadian government’s optimism about agriculture in our country, some Ontario grain producers, as well as farmers south of the border, disagree with the sunny financial outlook. That’s particularly true in the U.S., where a company called DTN released the results recently of its thrice-yearly agricultural confidence survey. DTN surveyed 500 U.S. crop and livestock farmers, and the results portrayed an all-time low level of producer confidence. That’s the second time in the last three surveys confidence levels were pessimistic.
According to DTN, concerns over stagnant or falling crop prices, increased crop production and rising crop input costs contributed to U.S. crop producers’ pessimism. Farmers who raise livestock were also glum because of the prospects of lower prices brought on by beef, pork and poultry expansion. Expansion brought on by low livestock inventories have producers worried about what happens when supply catches up to demand.
It’s a tough situation. On a webinar about agricultural advocacy last week, I spoke about the need for farmers to communicate with the public. They have such a high credibility rating, not to mention a hands-on perspective of what happens on the farm — something people are confused about right now. Imagine, though, how hard it is to be publicly upbeat about your industry when you have such a grim outlook. Maybe in the U.S., confidence and attitude won’t intersect. But that seems unlikely. And even though it’s the truth, I doubt pessimism is the image consumers are looking for from farmers.
