The Purdue Extension Service of Washington County will present a program titled “Agricultural Outlook 2018” in the Meeting Room of the Washington County Government Building (806 Martinsburg Rd., Salem) on Monday, December 11, 2017 at 11:00 am.
Lunch will be provided through generous sponsorship.
The program is free to the public and is designed to help farmers, landowners, and agribusiness managers make better business decisions in the coming year.
The program will be presented by Chris Hurt an Agricultural Economist from Purdue.
Where is U.S. agriculture headed in 2018? Will low crop prices finally “turn the corner” and begin to recover, or are we locked in a period of low-for- long?
Indiana’s crops had a rugged start last spring but most regions recovered. This program will discuss the latest local and national USDA yield estimates along with price prospects and potential marketing strategies for corn and soybeans.
Crop farmers have been facing weak margins since 2014. Are profit prospects for the 2017 crops going to improve? Early income prospects for the 2018 and 2019 crops will be discussed as well.
Farmers have been trying to push costs per bushel lower. How much progress have they made and what are the prospects for lower input costs in 2018? How can crop farmers adjust to tighter,
or even negative margins?
How will acreage shift among corn, soybeans, and wheat in 2018. What farm and agribusiness management strategies will work best in the current economic environment?
A new Farm Bill is expected in 2018. What are some of the early prospects for that legislation?
The animal industries continue to expand with lower feed prices. Will larger production mean lower animal product prices and margins in 2018?
What about land values and cash rents? How much did they change in 2017 and what might be the direction for 2018 and beyond? Are land values and rents going to adjust a little bit more, or a lot more? What will be the drivers to watch?
RSVP’s are needed by Friday, December 8, 2018 by contacting Purdue Extension – Washington County at dhowellw@purdue.edu or 812-883- 4601.
