Export rebound lessens COVID’s farm profit impact


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Export rebound lessens COVID’s farm profit impact

Farm profitability was strained as a result of the global COVID pandemic. Indiana pork producer Danita Rodibaugh says hog market disruptions caused 2020 to not go as planned, but from a crop farming standpoint, she told Brownfield there was a buffer.

“Most of our inputs were already on the farm at the time COVID really hit,” Rodibaugh told Brownfield Ag News, “so as far as getting a crop in the ground and agriculture being essential workers, we were somewhat insulated from the effects of that, but still the marketing end is where we really felt the effects of COVID.”

2020 was a story of profitability contrasts when corn, soybean and pork exports outdid expectations, said Rodibaugh.

“It’s no secret that China was a big part of that,” said Rodibaugh, “but also we’ve worked really hard on market diversification, and so we’ve seen a bright spot in many of our export markets.”

Rodibaugh provided input for a study of COVID’s food and farm impacts done by the marketing agency FLM Harvest. Rodibaugh serves on that agency’s Board of Advisors.

AUDIO: Danita Rodibaugh

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