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Missouri ag director says farmers ready

Missouri Ag Director Richard Fordyce says Missouri farmers are ready for spring.  Fordyce, a farmer himself, tells Brownfield he’s talked with a lot of producers, “You know, we’re ready – we’re ready for winter to be over. We’re ready for some warmer weather. I know everybody’s getting itchy to get out and get started with spring planting.”

And he says spring calving is progressing well, “By and large, I think the weather’s been at least bearable when it comes to the calving aspect in the state.” Fordyce says he’ll be closely watching the upcoming growing season, “I think, overall, the prospects for agriculture in Missouri are good. We’re seeing a little bit of erosion on some of our cash grain prices. So, it’ll be interesting to see where those kind of fall as we go through the growing season.”

Fordyce and his wife grow soybeans and corn and raise beef cattle on their farm in northwest Missouri’s Harrison County. Fordyce was confirmed as Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture earlier this year.

Interview with Richard Fordyce about Canadian trade, PEDv, crops, etc. (7:00 mp3)