ARLINGTON, VA – The good news is the overall U.S. economy is booming; the bad news is the U.S. agricultural economy is not. U.S. ag continues to struggle amid falling farm income and deteriorating agricultural credit conditions.
During this prolonged downturn for the ag sector, separating fact from fiction has become increasingly critical, and focusing on the big picture, AKA macroeconomics, is key.
Veronica Nigh, international trade and resource issue economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), will be on hand at the 2019 Outlook Conference to talk about the macroeconomic outlook for U.S. agriculture—specifically digging into the drivers of the U.S. economy, farm economy, farm debt and financial indicators, interest rates, cash rents and farmland values, and trade.
“While we wait for farm income to stabilize, growing inventories, trade uncertainty, and signs of a global economic slowdown remain key risks,” said Betsy Ward, president & CEO of USA Rice. “Hearing from an expert economist steeped in ag research and analysis who can answer questions will help us all make decisions and plan ahead not only for individual operations but for the industry as a whole.”
Nigh grew up on a small, diversified livestock operation in Savannah, Missouri. Prior to joining AFBF, she worked for the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in the Office of Negotiations and Agreements, and also served as an international marketing specialist at the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
The USA Rice Outlook Conference is the largest rice specific event in North America. The 2019 Conference will take place from December 8-10 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Check
here for updates.