b'A man along the Jackson Love Highway bridge that crosses the destruction of I-26 in Erwin, TN from Hurricane Helene Disaster.The Port Strike: A Looming ThreatThe hurricanes arent the only issue. A potential port strike, which was temporarily averted in October, still looms on the horizon. They just kicked it down the road to January, Munch says,The net farm income forecast for 2024 predicted a 23% noting that the delay offers no real relief. We dodged a bullet for now, but this is going to come back, and it will have a significantdrop over two years for livestock and crop farmers. Now, impact, especially on soybean producers in states like Marylandwith weather events, transportation issues and other and Virginia.The strikes potential to disrupt containerized exports addsmarket disruptions, the pressure is only increasing. another layer of uncertainty.Danny MunchOnly about 6% of our soybean exports move through con-tainerized shipping, but for those producers, any disruption will have an impact, he explains.Net Farm Income Forecast is BleakU.S. Farmers ResilienceEven before factoring in these disasters, Munch warns that farm- Despite the grim picture, Munch remains optimistic about one ers were already bracing for a tough year.thing: the resilience of U.S. farmers. The net farm income forecast for 2024 predicted a 23% dropThe U.S. remains the most efficient agricultural producer in over two years for livestock and crop farmers, he says. Now,the world, he says. Since 1950, weve taken land almost double with weather events, transportation issues and other marketthe size of Texas out of production, but were still producing disruptions, the pressure is only increasing. more than ever. Thats thanks to farmers adopting new technolo-Munch mentions that ongoing regulatory uncertainty andgies and sustainable practices.the delay in passing a new Farm Bill have only exacerbated theIn the face of challenges, Munch believes that U.S. farmers will situation.continue to lead the way. Theres no updated safety net for farmers, and a lot of theFarmers have always been up to the challenge, and they disaster payments from previous years havent even been dis- continue to innovate, he says. Now more than ever, they need bursed yet, he adds. support to ensure a secure food supply for the future.SW38/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'