What Is Ahead for the Future of Global Grain Flow?
From the ongoing war in Ukraine to evolving Chinese demand to bumper crops in South America, the trends are shifting for global grain flow. What will 2023 and the years ahead hold?
That will be the topic of a dynamic panel at the 2023 Top Producer Summit, which takes place Jan. 23-25. Register now!
AgriTalk’s Chip Flory will moderate the panel, which will feature:
- Kip Tom, Tom Farms and U.S. Ambassador
- Matt Roberts, Terrain
- Steve Freed, ADM Investor Services
“Over the next two to three years we don't know what the outcome is going to be in Ukraine,” Tom says. “We don't know what's going to happen with the EU Green Deal and how that affects trade issues, and we don't know what's going to happen in China, especially if they're stocking supplies.”
Those will be some of the topics Tom and the other panelists discuss.
Listen to Kip Tom on AgriTalk with Chip Flory:
Tom says what will be key for U.S. agriculture going forward it so prove it’s a resilient and durable industry.
“We need to work with policymakers in Washington D. C., to make sure our infrastructure is one that is going to allow the flow of grain and inputs in and out of the country, and we need to make sure we have key trade relationships,” he says.
The Road Ahead for Ukraine
This past October, Tom visited Ukraine, meeting with a number of producers. Based on those conversations, he says 2023 will look much different than 2022.
“In 2022 a lot of farmers had their supply chain stocked full of fertilizer, seeds, chemistries and fuel — everything they needed to produce a crop in 2022,” he says. “For 2023 they don't have access to fertilizer. When I was there diesel fuel was trading for $30 a gallon, and half of their electrical grid had been shut down. Labor resources have been on the front line finding the battle. I don't see them returning anytime soon.”