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Lessons From the Delta, Part 2: Land Values, Capital Markets, and the Business of Rice

In Part 2 of the Lessons From the Delta series, Chad Fiechter and Todd Kuethe speak with Aaron Shew about farmland valuation, land market transparency, and rice payment systems. The discussion explores how limited sales data, capital intensity, and milling economics shape risk and long-term farm business decisions.

U.S. and Brazil Soybean Competitiveness: Farm-Level Costs and Returns

This article compares farm-level soybean costs and profitability in Iowa and Mato Grosso from 2020–2024. Brazilian farms face higher direct input costs, while U.S. farms carry heavier land-related overhead. Structural cost differences help explain Brazil’s sustained profitability and ongoing competitiveness in global soybean markets.

Corn Basis is Stable Across the Eastern Corn Belt, but Soybean Basis Varies

Corn basis remains steady across much of the Eastern Corn Belt as markets transition to May futures contracts, with particularly strong local basis levels in central Ohio and northern Indiana. Meanwhile, soybean basis shows significantly more volatility, with widening spreads across districts and notable weakness in Iowa. Ethanol plants continue to offer firm premiums relative to local delivery points, while soybean crush plant basis has softened in several states. Producers can use the Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture’s Crop Basis Tool to compare local ethanol and crush plant basis levels and evaluate current pricing opportunities against historical averages.

Valuing Sweat Equity and Adding a Person to the Farm, Ag Engage Conference

Michael Langemeier presented at the Ag Engage Conference in Bloomington on February 19, 2026, on valuing sweat equity and adding a person to the farm.

Lessons From the Delta, Part 1: What Midwestern Farmers Can Learn From Southern Agriculture

In this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast, we launch a new mini-series: Lessons From the Delta. After traveling to Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta region, Chad Fiechter and Todd Kuethe share what stood out most about crop diversity, irrigation intensity, farm structure, and regional economics.

USDA’s First Forecast of the 2026 U.S. Farm Balance Sheet

USDA’s first 2026 Farm Income and Wealth Statistics release provides an early look at the U.S. farm balance sheet heading into the next production cycle. Farm assets and equity are projected to grow at the slowest pace since 2019–2020, while farm debt accumulation accelerates for the third time in four years. Non-real estate assets are expected to decline, driven by reductions in livestock and crop inventories, even as machinery investment continues rising. Key efficiency ratios remain near historic lows, signaling tighter production returns relative to asset values.

What Lower Corn Prices Mean for 2026 Swine Feed Costs

Indiana corn prices averaged $4.45 per bushel in 2025, and futures markets suggest prices may remain below long-run averages into 2026. Lower grain prices imply reduced feed costs, but volatility in corn and soybean meal markets continues to create risk. This article examines recent trends in feed cost indices for farrow-to-finish and swine finishing enterprises and evaluates how changes in corn and soybean meal prices could affect feed costs in 2026.

What 2026 Crop Budgets Mean for Profitability and Cash Rent Decisions

Margins remain tight for 2026. Purdue’s latest crop budget estimates show soybean rotations maintaining a contribution margin advantage over corn, while breakeven prices for both crops remain well above expected market prices. Negative projected earnings could slow machinery purchases and put pressure on cash rents, making careful cost management and crop budgeting essential.

Farm Income Outlook for Indiana

Farm income in Indiana gets a boost in 2025, but 2026 projections show renewed financial pressure. Here’s what’s driving receipts, expenses, and net income.

Rising Farm Debt and Financial Stress: Evidence from the Ag Economy Barometer

New Ag Economy Barometer data suggest rising operating loans—especially those tied to carryover debt—may signal increasing financial stress and thinning working capital cushions on farms.

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