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Credit trends can say a lot about the farm economy
USDA estimates that farmers will spend more money on interest payments in 2026, after adjusting for inflation, than at any other time on record. Credit is an essential part of agriculture, helping farmers manage costs and invest in their operations. As borrowing costs rise, American Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum said increased reliance on credit says a lot about the overall health of the farm economy. Parum said credit can also offer clues about broader economic conditions in agriculture....
NASS reports returning this month
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will release several key agriculture reports in November, including a monthly crop supply and demand report that wasn’t issued last month because of the government shutdown. According to a post on its website, NASS...
China’s soybean purchases seen as symbolic, not transformative
It’s been months of uncertainty between the United States and China since President Trump placed new tariffs on Chinese goods, sparking another round of back-and-forth tension in the ag sector. Now, an agreement reached last week has China pledging to resume purchases...
Lots of yield variability as Iowa harvest wraps up
Harvest in Iowa is very close to wrapping up- in fact, many farmers have put away their combines already. At this point in the season, we have a pretty good idea of how the yields are looking. Northwest Iowa AgriGold Agronomist Jeff Morey said there’s been a lot of...
U.S. Export Sales Report (10-31-25)
With the recent news of a trade deal framework being reached between the U.S. and China, there wasn’t much focus on export sales estimates this week. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn numbers are still projected to look good for the ag marketplace....
Cattle markets quickly reacting to news headlines
In today’s social media world, all it takes are a handful of posts online and a few days of reactions to flip the cattle market upside down. That is the opinion of Cassie Fish, a cattle market analyst and blogger for “The Beef.” She says it is frustrating to see the...
Mexico: still no date to resume beef exports to the U.S.
Mexico and the U.S. haven’t yet agreed to resume Mexican beef cattle exports into the U.S. amid the outbreak of the New World Screwworm in Mexico. Mexico’s ag minister announced that during a press conference with President Claudia Sheinbaum. Julio Berdegue spoke with...
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Highlighting major economic factors to observe in 2026
The U.S. macroeconomy is influencing agriculture input costs, commodity price trends, and supply and demand fundamentals. Matt Erickson, senior analyst at Terrain, said inflation, tariffs, and interest rates will be major factors to keep an eye on in 2026. Erickson...
What to expect in the January WASDE report
The January USDA WASDE report will be released on Monday January 12th and while we don’t know what changes will be made, if there are changes, they could move the ag marketplace. Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net says that if we get a January WASDE report similar to 2025...
Beef prices expected to keep rising in 2026
Beef prices are expected to continue climbing in the coming year as tight cattle supplies in the United States and abroad strain the global market, analysts said. U.S. cattle inventories remain near multi-decade lows following years of drought that forced ranchers to...
Applications open for AFBF Women’s Communications Boot Camp
Farm Bureau women interested in growing their communications skills can now apply for Communications Boot Camp. The spring session of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Women’s Communications Boot Camp is April 20-23, 2026. Shawn Wood, an Arizona farmer and member...
Utility sized equipment supports daily work on farms
Compact and utility tractors may not always be the most visible machines on a farm, but for many operations, they handle much of the daily work. From livestock chores to property maintenance, producers and rural landowners are often looking for equipment that is...
