Heat Illness Prevention and Farm Loan Delinquency Improved
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**Over the past two decades, heat illness awareness and prevention has become a major focus for California farms that rely on workers to harvest crops and perform other essential work when it’s hot.
Farmers and farm labor safety experts say awareness and preparedness have evolved since the state established the first heat-safety law in 2005.
Outdoor workers must have access to water, shade and rest when temps rise above 80 degrees.
**The June World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Report says the June wheat outlook is for larger supplies, unchanged domestic use, increased exports, and lower stocks.
Supplies are raised as wheat production is forecast at 1.875 billion bushels, up 17 million from last month.
Ending stocks are lowered slightly from last month but still significantly higher than last year at 758 million bushels.
The season-average price is $6.50.
**Despite falling farm incomes, rising interest expenses, and generally low producer sentiment, Agricultural Economic Insights says farm loan delinquencies improved in 2023.
Across all commercial banks, the share of farm loans classified as delinquent fell to only 0.91% in the fourth quarter of last year.
The previous low points in farm real estate delinquency rates were from 2005 to 2007 and 2014 to 15 when delinquencies rates dipped to 1.5%.
