Farm Economy Variables – A Checkup
A complex mix of agricultural economic variables help form the basis of what farmers and ranchers consider essential policy priorities. As Farm Bill conversations have already begun, today's update looks…
The Importance of the Non-Farm Rural Economy to Farm Household Income
A recent study ("Income Trends for Iowa Farms and Farm Families 2003-2015") by David Peters, associate professor and extension rural sociologist with Iowa State University, summarized current trends in farm…
Federal Reserve: Observations on the Ag Economy- January ’17
Yesterday, the Federal Reserve Board released its January '17 Beige Book update, a summary of commentary on current economic conditions by Federal Reserve District. The report included several observations pertaining…
Ag Technology: Increasing Availability and Use
An update yesterday from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta indicated that, “When Joe Boddiford is in Atlanta, 200 miles from his Southeast Georgia farm, he can operate his irrigation…
Upper Midwest Land Values
Last month, in its third-quarter 2016 Agricultural Credit Conditions Survey, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis indicated that, "Following a trend from recent quarterly surveys, land prices and cash rents…
Dallas Fed Ag Credit Survey, “Concern” Noted
Earlier this week, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released the results of its 2016 Fourth Quarter Agricultural Credit Survey.
Lower Food Prices Benefit Consumers, Complicate Farmer’s Ledger
Los Angeles Times writer Geoffrey Mohan reported on the front page of the business section on Friday, December 30th that, "For food shoppers, 2016 was a back-to-the-future experience, with retail…
“Agricultural” Economy- “Rural” Economy
In a special section of the Christmas Day edition of the Omaha World-Herald, Barbara Soderlin reported that, "The outlook may sound bleak for Nebraska’s agriculture-dependent economy as farmers wrap up…
Iowa Farmland Values Decline, Cash Rent Issues
Donnelle Eller reported on the front page of Wednesday's Des Moines Register that, "Iowa's average farmland value declined for the third year in a row, down 5.9 percent to $7,183…
Recent USDA- ERS Reports, Farm Structure, Rural America
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS) has recently released three separate reports that contain a large amount of relevant information that provides interesting perspective on farm structure,…