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Duvall on dockworker strike

The strike affecting more than 45,000 workers at 36 U.S. shipping ports is a major concern for U.S. farmers. 

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall tells Brownfield it’s important to resolve the issues and end the strike as soon as possible.  “I was actually on the phone Friday with one of the economists that works with the President of the United States and talking about the devastation it’s going to cause us, especially where the commodities are moving in containers because most of this is container business.”

Duvall says there is a tremendous amount of ag products that come into and out of the U.S. through the coastal ports.  “Our farmers and ranchers need that exposure to the marketplace, so it’s important to keep those shoremen working.”

Duvall says no movement through the ports negatively affects commodity prices.  “If our commodities can’t move, we know what’s going to happen.  Those stockpiles are going to build up, and when they build up, the price goes down.”

Duvall says the Savanah, Georgia port near his home moves a lot of farm products including poultry and cotton.

Duvall spoke to Brownfield during World Dairy Expo in Madison Wisconsin Tuesday.