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General Farm Management & Strategy

Farmers Feel Better About the Future. So Why Aren’t They Investing?

Farmers 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?

Farmer Sentiment Rises Again in August as Future Expectations Improve

Farmer 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.

From the Farm to Purdue: What Josh Strine Wants to Understand About Farm Decisions

If 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.

How Farmer Sentiment Compares in the United States and Argentina

Farmers 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.

Comparison of Long-Run Rates of Return for Crop and Livestock Farms

Have 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.

Does New Planter Technology Pay? What a Purdue Field Trial Found

Does 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.

Crop and Livestock Producers: Different Sentiment, Similar Concerns and Challenges

The latest Ag Economy Barometer shows livestock producers remain more optimistic than crop farmers, but both groups agree that marketing, input costs, and commodity prices are their biggest challenges.

Why Farmer Sentiment Improved in July

The latest Ag Economy Barometer shows farmer sentiment rebounding after three consecutive months of decline. In this month’s discussion, Purdue agricultural economists Michael Langemeier and Joana Colussi go beyond the survey results to explain what producers are thinking about the farm economy and the risks shaping their outlook.

Farmer Sentiment Rebounds—Why Marketing Matters More Than Ever

Drawing on results from the latest Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, Michael explores how today’s combination of elevated input costs and tighter commodity margins is changing the way farmers think about risk. While farmer sentiment improved in July, the survey reveals that long-term profitability will depend less on producing a good crop and more on earning a profitable price for it.

After 3 Months of Decline, Farmer Sentiment Rebounds in July

Farmer sentiment improved in July, ending three consecutive months of decline, as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer (AEB) Index increased from 113 points in June to 126 points in July.

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