Farmers continue to cope with difficult planting conditions that have bogged down corn planting this spring to a record slow pace. Policy uncertainty stemming from recently announced executive branch trade assistance…
Unrelenting rainfall continues to cause headaches for Corn Belt farmers. Record-breaking precipitation this year has lead to flooding and historic delays in the pace of U.S. corn planting. Soybean planting…
Ongoing wet weather in the Corn Belt, along with uncertainty associated with recent executive and legislative branch policy related actions, have converged on U.S. farmers as planting deadlines loom. With…
Recent news articles and government reports show that African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to have a disrupting impact on soybean and pork markets. Today's update highlights key points from several…
Last week, the Federal Reserve Banks of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City released updates regarding farm income, farmland values and agricultural credit conditions from the first quarter of 2019. And…
On Thursday, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management held a hearing titled, "Reviewing the State of the Farm Economy." Today’s updates provides a brief recap…
An update last month from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City ("Ag Banks Make Adjustments as Lending Remains Elevated," by Cortney Cowley and Ty Kreitman) stated that, "According to the National…
Last week, the American Bankers Association (ABA) released its annual Farm Bank Performance Report. Today's update includes several highlights from the ABA update.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Board released its April 2019 Beige Book update, a summary of commentary on current economic conditions by Federal Reserve District. The report included several observations…
Recent news items from the Corn Belt point to several economic challenges facing producers as spring planting approaches. Nonetheless, relatively steady farmland values continue to be a bright spot. But…
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture held a hearing regarding the Administration's FY 2020 Agriculture Department Budget Request, and heard testimony from Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. During…
A news release yesterday from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri indicated that, "Pressure on farm finances appears likely to continue according to…
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture held a hearing titled, "The Rural Economy." Today's updates provides a brief recap of some of the issues that were discussed at…
Flooding and gloomy price prospects for corn and soybeans are diminishing optimism in the Corn Belt as spring planting nears. Recent news articles continue to discuss the ongoing negative impacts…
A Reuters news article this week stated that, "Frustration is building across farm country at what feels like a never-ending season of bad news." And an update from the Federal…
Today’s update looks briefly at how relatively steady farmland values are impacting farm financial variables, and then discusses recent developments relating to farmland values in Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 10-year projections for the food and agricultural sector. The report noted that, "Over the next several years, the agricultural sector will continue…
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Board released its February 2019 Beige Book update, a summary of commentary on current economic conditions by Federal Reserve District. The report included several observations…
The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) indicated on Wednesday that, "Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is forecast to increase $6.3 billion (10.0 percent) from 2018 to $69.4 billion…
Following Wednesday's appearance before the House Agriculture Committee, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue testified on Thursday before the Senate Agriculture Committee at a hearing titled, "Implementing the Agriculture Improvement Act…