Current Ag Challenges Pt 1
I’m Bob Larson. It’s been one big challenge after another for the past couple of years and no industry has been harder hit than agriculture. Washington State Farm Bureau Director of Government Relations, Tom Davis says those so-called “normal” times might still be months or more away …
DAVIS … “I think that is true. I mean, in reviewing, probably like you do, you read what are the economists saying and, you know, many are pushing it out to the third quarter where we might see a return to normal, but I think that’s just a, you know, that’s a, maybe an educated guess,
but it’s still a guess.”
Davis says agriculture was impacted almost immediately when COVID hit, but farmers reacted well …
DAVIS … “But things continue to still hammer the industry. You know, with the drought this year. You know, raspberries saw a 30% reduction this year over last year because of the drought and that was just one commodity. Wheat saw a 50% reduction in production. Apples saw a 10%, cherries 20% loss. And that’s tied directly just to heat and drought.”
And, Davis says potatoes too …
DAVIS … “Depending on where they, the potatoes were grown, anywhere between a 10% and 50% reduction in their yields. You know, so that’s a direct impact to the farmers and their economic viability when we’re hit with that type of thing.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on the Farm Bureau’s take on the economic and physical challenges currently impacting agriculture.
