Farmer Sentiment Declines in September, Inflation Expectations Jump

Sentiment among agricultural producers weakened in September as the Ag Economy Barometer declined 14 points to a reading of 124. This is the weakest farmer sentiment reading since July 2020 when the index stood at 118. Producers were less optimistic about both current and future conditions on their farms and the agricultural sector than they were a month earlier. Purdue ag economist James Mintert reviews the results and gives some insight into the September 2021 Ag Economy Barometer, a nationwide monthly survey of 400 ag producers. This month’s survey was conducted from September 27-29, 2021.