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Farmer sentiment rose again in August. But what’s really behind the improvement? Joana Colussi and Michael Langemeier take a closer look at the August Purdue Univeristy-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer and discuss what they think is driving the changes in farmer sentiment. The Ag Economy Barometer rose from 126 in July to 135 in August, with most of the improvement coming from farmers’ expectations for the future. But producers remain cautious about current conditions and capital investments. Michael and Joana discuss what may be behind that disconnect, including the outlook for corn prices, farmland values, farm financial conditions and producers’ willingness to invest.
Read MoreFarmers are feeling better about their financial future, but that optimism hasn’t translated into stronger plans for machinery and building investments. The August Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose to 135, and for the first time since June 2025, more farmers said they expect their financial situation to improve over the next year than said they expect it to worsen. But there’s a catch. The Farm Financial Performance Index has climbed from 90 at the beginning of the year to 103 in August, while the Farm Capital Investment Index fell to 45. So what’s keeping farmers cautious?
Read MoreFarmer sentiment improved again in August, but the details behind the increase are more interesting than the headline. The Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 9 points to 135, marking its second consecutive monthly increase. The key driver was future expectations.
Read MoreIf you’ve followed Purdue’s Crop Basis Tool or the Center’s monthly basis updates, you’ve probably already heard from Josh Strine. After completing his PhD at Purdue, Josh is staying with the Center for Commercial Agriculture as a postdoc, where he’ll continue working on extension tools and research involving farm markets, technology and agricultural finance. In this episode, Josh talks about his path from growing up on a corn and soybean farm in central Ohio to agricultural economics and Purdue. He also explains what he hopes to explore next.
Read MoreFarmers in the United States and Argentina are facing many of the same pressures, but their outlook for the future is strikingly different. A new comparison of the two countries’ producer sentiment surveys finds a particularly wide gap in expectations for the crop sector and points to differences in farm income, policy and financial conditions that may help explain why.
Read MoreCorn basis weakened across much of the Eastern Corn Belt in August, but soybean basis told a very different story. What changed heading into September?
Josh Strine breaks down the latest corn and soybean basis movement and highlights the markets that moved the most.
Read MoreCorn basis has weakened across much of the Eastern Corn Belt since late July, while soybean basis has taken a very different path. The biggest surprise? Iowa, where soybean basis strengthened sharply despite seasonal trends that pointed toward weakening.
Read MoreFed cattle prices are near record highs, but cattle finishing margins could remain under pressure through the rest of 2026 and into 2027. Michael Langemeier explains what’s driving the squeeze, from feeder cattle prices and feeding costs to historically high breakeven prices.
Read MoreHave crop farms or livestock farms generated better long-run returns? Michael Langemeier compares rates of return for beef, dairy, diversified, and crop farms from 2007–2025, revealing why recent livestock price strength hasn’t translated into a clear long-run advantage.
Read MoreDoes upgrading to the latest planter technology actually improve a farm’s bottom line? A Purdue field trial comparing modern and 30-year-old planter technology found no measurable difference in corn yield but the economic value of newer technology may extend well beyond yield.
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