National Farmers President Highlights Farm Price Trends, Marketing Solutions
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (March 13, 2019)—During his address March 12, National Farmers President Paul Olson at National Farmers Convene ’19 in West Des Moines, Iowa, he highlighted commodity price volatility, dairy member growth in the Northeast and National Farmers consistent yearly cattle sales increases.
Olson compared and contrasted commodity prices during the past eight years, citing challenges posed by volatility, and low dairy and grain commodity prices right now. But prices for cash corn were $5.32 in March 2011, and $24 for milk in June 2014. Further, even with relatively high corn prices in 2012, cattle producers were making good money, Olson said.
Olson highlighted dairy economic conditions right now, and said, “I’m very concerned about the dairy industry,” Olson said. However, he listed National Farmers’ partnerships with dairy co-ops and other ag organizations concerned about the dairy economy, such as Wisconsin Farmers Union. Interest in National Farmers’ two-tier pricing proposal and emergency Family Dairy Farm Relief Act is increasing, Olson said. (See nationalfarmers.com for dairy pricing proposals.)
In conventional dairy, producers are looking for marketing choices, Olson said. He cited a partnership with a dairy co-op in the Northeast, as an example of adding dairy farms to National Farmers MaximumMarketing milk program.
Olson recognized the volume growth focus of leadership in the National Farmers Nexus Ag Marketing cattle risk management programs, and the multi-year cattle number increases in the program. If you’re going to feed cattle today, that’s how to market, Olson said. “Without you our members, this couldn’t happen,” Olson told producers at the evening event.
Farmers need to focus on price as much as on production quantity, Olson said.
National Farmers is a conventional and organic commodity marketing organization for the nation’s farmers and ranchers.
