Ag Weather Forum

Farm Machinery Show Thoughts

Bryce Anderson
By  Bryce Anderson , Ag Meteorologist Emeritus
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Hello from Louisville, Kentucky where the 2015 National Farm Machinery Show will kick off another year. This event is expected to draw another round of big crowds, covering the Kentucky Expo Center. DTN and The Progressive Farmer have a big presence here: we have two DTN product and information booths complete with big touch-screen flat screens; we have champion corn grower forums scheduled; and Darin Newsom and I will have discussions on the market and weather outlooks today, Thursday and Friday.

I'm looking forward to what the show, its exhibitors, and attendees can tell us about the mood of agriculture ahead of the 2015 growing season. The location of the show means that we will get folks here from a variety of crop regions, so that geography is very interesting. And, what will producers be thinking--particularly with grain prices not nearly as high as we've had the past few years? Indications will be presented both in the sheer number of people who attend the show and our programs, along with the questions that they have. This is my eighth Farm Machinery Show, and I anticipate more anxiety around the balance-sheet issue than I've experienced before.

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From a weather standpoint, it is very hard to come up with a problem for crops right now. With a weak El Nino in the Pacific Ocean heading toward neutral during the growing season, the setup at this point looks promising for crops. Drought is not the threat that we've had in some recent years (outside of California). Weak El Nino-to-Neutral progressions suggest favorable conditions throughout the season. International issues other than some area dryness in Brazil are also quite limited. Of course, that framework may just add to the concern about the year ahead from an economic angle.

Each growing season has its own story. The 2015 saga will start here.

Bryce

Twitter @BAndersonDTN

(ES)

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