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Coronavirus is forcing milk dumping, plant closures and even a bacon glut at the store. We explore those topics in the podcast Around Farm Progress

April 10, 2020

It's hard to quantify the impact of coronavirus on agriculture. Conditions keep changing almost daily, and each week the podcast Around Farm Progress has engaged editors to explore different issues. The latest episode offers a look at how coronavirus is impacting the dairy, beef and hog markets.

Guests this week include editors from a state magazine as well as BEEF magazine and National Hog Farmer.

Fran O'Leary, editor, Wisconsin Agriculturist, opens the podcast to discuss how milk dumping is now a business necessity as the very nature of the markets dairy producers serve is changing. The collapse of the restaurant and institutional food industries is hitting dairy processors and that's trickling down to dairy farmers across the country. She shares what she's learned in Wisconsin and offers some perspective on ideas aimed at helping alleviate the problem.

The beef industry is no stranger to outside events influence the trade. Burt Rutherford, editor, BEEF Magazine, provides insight into what's happening now, but also offers a historical perspective on the issues. Calling them "black swan" events, he notes in his history of covering the industry he's seen a half dozen, but none quite like this.

And Ann Hess, editor, National Hog Farmer, shares insight into how the hog market is being impacted by changing consumption patterns, and even how coronavirus is impacting processing plants. She also shares how the industry is ramping up to promote pork to consumers, perhaps many new to cooking these products, for the spring and summer.

Don't miss coronavirus coverage

On an added note, readers can catch all of the Farm Progress coverage of COVID-19 by visiting the special coronavirus online channel. Farm Progress editors are covering this event from across the country providing both local and national insight into how it impacts all of agriculture. Just visit FarmProgress.com/coronavirus.

The weekly podcast goes live online by 3 p.m. Central time each Friday and will engage editors from around the country. There will also be special guests, and other information provided in this new show, so make an appointment to listen. You can listen to this week's episode above and subscribe on Podbean by following. Soon the show will be on iTunes as well.

Farmers are getting their information in new ways. Farm Progress is a leader in reaching them as needed. From top magazines around the country to one of the first agriculture-focused mobile apps from Farm Futures, to the leading television presence with This Week in Agribusiness, the company covers all media for agriculture.

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