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Recent Resources

Farmland Values – Will the Boom Turn Bust Presentation

January 30, 2013

Top Producer Seminar presentation by Dr. Brent Gloy.

Structural Change in Agriculture: Implications for the Farming Sector

January 28, 2013

The global food and agribusiness industry is in the midst of major changes – changes in product characteristics, in worldwide distribution and consumption, in technology, in size and structure of firms in the industry, and in geographic location of production and processing.

Alternative Futures for Agriculture: A Scenario Analysis Exercise

January 25, 2013

The point of scenario analysis is not to predict how the future will unfold, but rather to consider different scenarios that might occur and what the economic environment might look like in these scenarios. Participants then use these situations to consider what strategies their businesses might use were these situations to occur.

Farm Growth: Venture Analysis and Business Models

January 14, 2013

Continued consolidation and concentration in the agricultural industries has stimulated numerous discussions and debates about the advantages and disadvantages of large vs. small firms and why the general trend/direction of most structural change in agriculture is to larger scale businesses.

The Wealth Effect in U.S. Agriculture

January 8, 2013

Since 2009, wealth in the U.S. farm sector has surged along with booming farmland values. Similar to nonfarm households, farm enterprises historically have used wealth to support consumption and investments when income fades. During years of low income, farmers tap their existing wealth to finance spending on capital investments such as buildings, vehicles, machinery and other equipment.

Is the Current Farm Prosperity Sustainable? What to Watch

January 1, 2013

Many are asking whether the current prosperity in farming is sustainable. The answer is not obvious, but the following “what to watch” list might provide a useful perspective to answer this question.

Drought, Livestock, and Income Taxes

December 12, 2012

Many Midwestern livestock producers have been adversely affected by weather conditions in 2012. Because of reduced feed supplies, some livestock producers have reduced their herd size through larger than normal sales of livestock in 2012.

2013 Crop Cost and Return Guide

November 1, 2012

The Purdue Crop Cost and Return Guide offers farmers a resource to project financials for the coming cropping year. These are the November 2012 crop budget estimations for 2013.

When Do Farm Booms Become Bubbles?

July 17, 2012

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Symposium, July 16-17, 2012 – Session 1: When Do Farm Booms Become Bubbles? | Rapid increases in agricultural incomes and asset values have brought back memories of previous booms and busts. Henderson, Gloy, and Boehlje (2011) chronicled previous agricultural booms and busts noting that they have often corresponded to rapid expansions and contractions of agricultural exports.

Is This Farm Boom Different?

July 16, 2012

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Symposium, July 16-17, 2012 – Conference Rapporteur: Is This Farm Boom Different? | This has been a very stimulating and informative symposium. First,I will summarize the key “take-aways” of the presentations from my perspective. Then I will make some additional observations and identify some key uncertainties that are shaping the future of agriculture–“what to watch” in these turbulent times.