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What do the availability of maritime insurance for cargo vessels on the Black Sea, rainfall in Argentina, and the Covid-19 control policies in China have in common?
Answer: they can all impact the price of corn and other commodities for farmers in Rockbridge and the Shenandoah Valley.
As odd as this may sound, agricultural markets have taught us time and again, events in farflung places can have meaningful impacts here in Rockbridge County. Twenty twenty-three promises to be a continuation of 2022’s market volatility and uncertainty.
There are marketing and financial tools that can insulate farms from some of this volatility and risk. Thursday, Feb. 16, the Rockbridge Farm Bureau Federation in partnership with Virginia Cooperative Extension is hosting an evening dinner and seminar on the topic “2023 Ag Market Outlook and Risk Management Strategies.” Robert Harper, Virginia Farm Bureau’s Commodity Marketing Specialist will be the featured speaker. Dinner is provided free with the program so please call the Rockbridge Farm Bureau Federation at (540) 4633603 to pre-register by Friday, Feb. 10.
While Rockbridge County’s pastures and hayfields are a natural resource on which our farms capitalize, the diversity of our agricultural businesses has evolved to connect our farms to the rest of the United States and beyond our shores. Our cattle leave the county to be finish-fed near the slaughter facilities of the Western Corn Belt, the milk from our dairy farms is marketed upand- down the East Coast, and the companies that contract with our poultry growers must compete for feed grains in an international market place. The same is true for fuel and fertilizer with, for example, Russia being the leading country in the world for the production of nitrogen fertilizer. Fortunately prices for these inputs have come down from their respective spikes in 2023 and markets appear to be reaching a new equilibrium. However, international circumstances of weather and politics make the markets volatile. Plan to attend the dinner and seminar Thursday, Feb. 16, to learn more.
Weed Control
Meeting
Rockbridge Cattlemen’s Association is sponsoring a separate evening program Monday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. on the latest approaches to weed control in pastures and hay fields. The seminar will include light refreshment and will be held at the Raphine Volunteer Fire Department at 2130 Raphine Road, Raphine. The program is offered free of charge.
Please pre-register by Friday, Feb.10, by calling the Rockbridge Extension office at (540) 463-4734 or send e-mail to stanleyt@ vt.edu.
