The financial health of the farm sector could take another small hit this year. Gary Crawford has the story. 2018 Could Bring a Slight Decline in Farm Sector Financial Health-1 Rob Johansson, USDA Chief Economist, says the median income for farm households will likely fall this year for the fourth year in a row. 2018 Could Bring a Slight Decline …
Commodity Prices Have Landowners Searching for Additional Income
Low commodity prices have landowners searching for alternative incomes, according to Farmers National Company. The company says this is especially true as farmers head into harvest of the 2018 crops with current prices impacted by trade issues. In some states, landowners have also been facing increased costs due to rising property tax bills. For owners who have the right type …
U.S. Chamber: Trade Aid for All Could Cost $39 Billion
Providing aid to industries impacted by negative trade policy could cost the nation $39 billion, according to new data by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Farmers are expected to receive a $12 billion aid package to lessen the burden of trade disputes by the Trump administration. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce calls farmers and ranchers the “hardest hit” by Trump’s …
Ag Economy Barometer Monthly Results
Farmers showed more optimism in the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The May survey reading was 141, 16 points higher than April and the highest since January of last year. A rating below 100 is negative, while a rating above 100 indicates positive sentiment regarding the agriculture industry. The rise in the barometer, a sentiment index derived from …
Farm Income, Credit, Weakening
Farm income and credit conditions continued to weaken in the first quarter of 2018, but at a slower pace than in previous quarters. According to the Tenth District Survey of Agricultural Credit Conditions, compiled by the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, reduced farm income contributed to intensifying cash-flow concerns and tightening lending standards. Cash-flow shortages continued to limit the availability …
St. Louis Fed Survey Shows Farm Income Down Once Again
Farm income declined in the first quarter of 2018, the 17th-consecutive quarter of lower income numbers. The latest Agricultural Finance Monitor, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, shows quality farmland values and cash rents were also slightly lower than in 2017. The St. Louis Fed surveyed 24 agricultural banks in the Eighth Federal Reserve District, which includes …
Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Slips in April Report
The latest measure of producer mindset dipped lower in April. The Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell to 125 last month, which was ten points lower than a month earlier and 15 points below its February reading. Organizers say the sharp drop in the ag producer sentiment index was attributable to producers’ weakening perceptions of current conditions in the production …
Ag Economy Barometer Results for March
Farmers are expressing concerns regarding agricultural trade, according to the latest Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The barometer slipped to 135 in March, down five points compared to February, but unchanged from January’s results. The decline was attributed to farmers weakening perceptions of current conditions and a decline in their expectations for the future. The index surveys 400 producers each …
Rural Mainstreet Index Remains Positive
Dodd-Frank Limits Lending for Most Rural Banks March Survey Results at a Glance: * For a second straight month the overall index rose above growth neutral. * Approximately 16.8 percent of grain farmers are expected to suffer negative cash flow for 2018. This is down slightly from 12 months earlier. * The percent of farmland purchases for cash (not financed) declined …
Ag Committee Members Press USDA on Payments to Deceased Farmers
Senate Ag Committee members Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan raised concerns with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency about farm program payments to deceased farmers. The Senators sent a letter to the agency, saying that they need to be careful stewards of taxpayer money and work to avoid wasteful payments. The letter says, “As we prepare to …