Agriculture This Week: War changes how markets view crop supply

Oct 07, 2022

You would hope trade would generally work unfettered as a supply and demand system.

If supplies are short demand should respond with better prices, and vice versa.

For farm production we like to think that is the way things work best, but supply and demand is too often trumped by outside forces.

Sometimes those forces are governments interfering on trade with tariffs and taxes to bolster domestic farm incomes, or limit exports, or to put pressure on other governments.

Then there are times war sends shudders of concern through those involved in trade and that creates a huge wild card in terms of free-flowing trade.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.