During 2019, the curveballs thrown at farmers began with the partial government shutdown in January, when some U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies were closed.
Despite a wet February in our part of Illinois, it’s been a dry winter for most of the U.S. That’s raising concerns about a repeat of 2012’s drought, the worst since the Dust Bowl that cost farmers, ranchers and governments $30 billion.
The world’s largest seed companies have their eye trained on Africa’s farming industry. A few, including St. Louis-based Monsanto, see drought-resistant corn as the key to an untapped market.
But some African civil service organizations are wary of the genetically modified seeds Monsanto hopes to introduce.
