Livestock markets face negative market forces

It's hard to quantify the impact of coronavirus on agriculture. Conditions keep changing almost daily, and each week the podcast Around Farm Progress has engaged editors to explore different issues. The latest episode offers a look at how coronavirus is impacting the dairy, beef and hog markets.

Guests this week involve editors from a state magazine as well as BEEF magazine and National Hog Farmer.

Fran O'Leary, editor, Wisconsin Agriculturist, opens the podcast to discuss how milk dumping is now a business necessity as the very nature of the markets dairy producers serve is changing. The collapse of the restaurant and institutional food industries is hitting dairy processors and that's trickling down to dairy farmers across the country. She shares what she's learned in Wisconsin and offers some perspective on ideas aimed at helping alleviate the problem.

The beef industry is no stranger to outside events influence the trade. Burt Rutherford, editor, BEEF Magazine, provides insight into what's happening now, but also offers a historical perspective on the issues. Calling them "black swan" events, he notes in his history of covering the industry he's seen a half dozen, but none quite like this.

And Ann Hess, editor, National Hog Farmer, shares insight into how the hog market is being impacted by changing consumption patterns, and even how coronavirus is impacting processing plants. She also shares how the industry is ramping up to promote pork to consumers, perhaps many new to cooking these products, for the spring and summer.

Thanks for listening.