Coronavirus Impacting Ag Markets

Jan 28, 2020

The ag markets are feeling the impact of the coronavirus.

Tyler Fulton is the Director of Risk Management with Hams Marketing Services.

"Just wide-spread weakness across a lot of financial markets and ag markets, kind of in response to the uncertainty related to the coronavirus," he said. "There's a lot of concern as to how that can impact demand and whether or not it's possible that it could trigger a recession in places if it becomes very wide spread."

Fulton says forward hog contract prices showed serious weakness to open the week.

He notes U.S. cash markets are still struggling after the heavy hog supply that came in during November and December. Fulton adds cash prices focus more on the nuts and bolts and are not impacted as much by speculation.

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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.