Calmer waters ahead on input market

Oct 06, 2023

Farmers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing crop input prices have stabilized as the world adapts to global supply challenges.

That was the message as Farm Credit Canada provided its latest update on input prices for the 2024 crop year.

Fertilizer prices reached new highs in 2022 when the war in Ukraine threw a wrench in the machinery of global supply when it was already tight. For months, chaos reigned in the markets as a result of the conflict and related international sanctions against Russia and its ally, Belarus.

Natural gas prices skyrocketed as Russian supply choked off, leaving previous European customers scrambling to find new suppliers. Russia was previously Europe’s main supplier of natural gas, while both Russia and Belarus are important fertilizer exporters. With that supply off the table, global fertilizer demand surged.

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Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.