Economics

SwineCast 0359b Show Notes:

• Swine Forecast 2009, the first virtual international economics and production seminar with Mark Greenwood of AgStar Financial reviewing current production economics in the U.S.   Link to full powerpoint presentation with audio.

SwineCast 0359a Show Notes:

• Opening presentation from Swine Forecast 2009, the first virtual international economics and production seminar features Dr Steve Meyer with his review of current market conditions.  Link to full powerpoint presentation with audio.

SwineCast 0358 Show Notes:

• Update on the Verasun bankruptcy and this link to Iowa State's regularly updated website on the situation 
• Chicago traders discuss recent market volatility and how producers should prepare to deal with risk in the future
• President of the Farm Credit Council discusses availability of credit within the system and why its in better shape than some commercial competitors

With the news that the EU is officially in recession and all of the signs point to the same thing for the U.S., the swine industry in the United States is facing a critical challenge related to demand.  After more than a decade of continuous growth in demand for U.S. pork, the industry is likely to face the inevitable leveling off or much more likely, a decline in demand for 2009.  Some are forecasting up to 10% less exports for 2009.  As the EU and the US enter recession, demand for consumer goods has already begun to fall, in some cases at record month over month rates. 

SwineCast 0356 Show Notes:

• Looking at the fallout from California's Prop 2 with California producer and National Pork Board president Steve Weaver
• Higher grains this winter?  Mike Woolverton says the market needs to buy about 4 mln more corn acres.
• Some interesting parallels in today's economic turmoil and what agriculture dealt with in the 80's

SwineCast 0354 Show Notes:

• Special post-election insight on new administration's transition and impact on agriculture