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A lot of room for improvement in 2020

After a difficult year from multiple angles ag leaders see a lot of room for improvement in 2020.

“I don’t now about you, but I am ready to turn the page. Let’s get 2019 behind us and look at 2020.”

Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert says after a long harvest, unpredictable weather and trade disputes he and his fellow farmers are ready for a better year.

USDA undersecretary Bill Northey agrees, telling Brownfield the challenges of 2019 will stick with farmers for a while.

“And I don’t know if non-farmers realize quite what the battle is when you can’t get stuff planted in the spring and you can’t get stuff out in the fall. Farmers are working so hard and not getting anything done and that is way more work.”

Northey says farmers should be both optimistic and cautious going into next year.

“Years don’t have to get better after they are bad but we also know that there is a lot of room above what 2019 was, for a better year.”

Brownfield interviewed Guebert at the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting and interviewed Northey at the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Conference, both held earlier this month.