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Corn and soybean basis strengthened broadly across the Eastern Corn Belt over the past month, breaking from typical seasonal trends. Indiana and Ohio continue to show some of the strongest basis levels in the region, while recent gains in Iowa have narrowed historical gaps. Use the Purdue Crop Basis Tool to monitor local opportunities as summer marketing decisions approach.
Read MoreAgCast relaunches with Episode 1 featuring a deep dive into phosphate fertilizer, global supply chains, and what tightening input markets may mean for farm profitability and fertilizer decisions heading toward 2027.
Read MoreBrazil’s corn and soybean production has continued expanding despite challenging market conditions. But with rising input costs, tighter credit, lower margins, and weather uncertainty ahead, will 2027 mark a turning point—or will Brazil’s growth trend continue?
Read MoreWhen margins are tight, knowing your true cost of production can provide more confidence in farm management decisions. In this AgBrief, Chad Fiechter introduces the new Purdue Cost of Production Calculator — a free tool designed specifically for Indiana corn and soybean farmers.
Read MoreHigher prices don’t always guarantee higher profits. New Purdue research examines the tradeoffs between organic and conventional crop production, including yield differences, cost structures, and the factors driving farm-level profitability.
Read MoreWhen margins tighten, knowing your true cost per acre becomes a critical management tool. A new Indiana-specific calculator helps farmers estimate costs, determine breakeven prices, and evaluate how changes in yield and markets affect profitability.
Read MoreFor most farmers, nailing down a precise cost of production per acre is a difficult task. Although broad ranges, informed guesses, and averages from several previous years are helpful, tight margin years emphasize the need for precise cost accounting. In response to the current margin environment, a team of Agricultural Economics graduate students, with the support of the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, developed an interactive tool and a support helpdesk to help Indiana farmers calculate their production costs. Built specifically for Indiana and grounded in region-specific benchmarks across six Indiana production regions (North, Northeast, West Central, Central, Southwest, Southeast), it gives farmers an accurate and locally relevant benchmark.
Read MoreU.S. corn production costs remain structurally higher than Brazil’s, driven largely by higher land expenses. Meanwhile, Brazil’s second-crop system allows producers to spread fixed costs across soybeans and corn, reinforcing its competitive position in global markets. Using standardized economic data from the agribenchmark network, we compare corn production costs and returns in Iowa and Mato Grosso from 2020 to 2024.
Read MoreCover crops offer measurable soil health benefits, but their financial impact varies depending on yield performance and input cost savings. This article uses scenario analysis to examine how producers can evaluate conservation practices alongside profitability and other farm goals.
Read MoreA contingency plan is a course of action designed to help a business determine how to respond to possible future events. Contingency plans are often referred to as “Plan B”. One of the most common contingency plans used by a business, particularly a small business, relates to how to respond to the departure or absence of key personnel. Contingency plans relating to how to respond to changes in projected cash flow are also important. Given the recent increase in input prices for fertilizer and fuel and wide variability in expected prices, it would be prudent for a farm to examine the sensitivity of their cash flow and repayment capacity to changes in crop prices. This article illustrates the use of contingency plans for a case farm in southwest Indiana.
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