‘The hits keep coming for agriculture and there is no easy political fix’
To get some perspective on what that could all mean for agribusiness and agriculture, we talk to Ryan Bernstein, senior policy advisor at US firm, McGuireWoods Consulting.
He has long been active in agricultural issues on Capitol Hill, and was a former chief of staff for US Senator John Hoeven where he played a key role in drafting numerous farm bills.
Bernstein also operates a family farm in South Dakota so he keenly understands the challenges facing agribusiness operators.
He first outlined how US farm sector has been impacted by the crisis, how ongoing high input challenges might influence planting intentions in the US, and how livestock producers in that market have been faring with high feed costs.
The ag policy specialist also reflected on the potential for increasing food insecurity globally, and whether there might be a push back on the climate pledges made at COP26 in November last year.
And Bernstein weighed in on whether US agribusiness corporations should withdraw from Russia. “There are consequences for halting all business within that region of the world.”
