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General Farm Management & Strategy
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.
Read More about Farm Income Outlook for IndianaFarmer sentiment dropped sharply to start 2026, reflecting growing economic concerns across U.S. agriculture. But beyond the headline decline in the Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, this episode focuses on what the shift signals for farm financial stress, investment decisions,
Read More about Farmer Sentiment Drops Sharply — What It Signals for Farm Finances in 2026Are autonomous machines financially competitive on today’s farms? Purdue research analyzes the real economics — from labor costs to hardware and subscription fees — and what it will take for autonomy to make sense at scale.
Read More about Are Autonomous Farm Machines Economically Ready Yet?Adding a family member or employee to a farm is a long-term financial decision. These slides and self-assessment tools help evaluate financial feasibility, strategic risk, and business resilience before expanding labor.
Read More about Financial Stress, Labor Decisions, and Farm Resilience: Tools to Evaluate Your OperationAdaptability and strong relationships are becoming essential in today’s farm economy. This Purdue Commercial AgCast episode continues the Top Farmer Conference discussion on long-term market outlooks and farm strategy.
Read More about Adaptation & Strong Relationships: A Conversation with Ben Brown, AgCast 205The Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture welcomed over 200 farmers and agribusiness professionals to the 2026 Purdue Top Farmer Conference on Friday, January 9th. The annual farm management conference provided a great networking opportunity for top producers and industry professionals. View photos from the event now.
Read More about 2026 Purdue Top Farmer Conference Recap + PhotosFINBIN data from 2007–2024 show that larger crop farms use significantly fewer labor hours per acre and achieve higher labor efficiency, highlighting clear economies of scale in labor use.
Read More about Labor StandardsNovember brought the highest farmer sentiment reading since June, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer jumping 10 points from October to 139. The increase was driven primarily by producers’ more optimistic outlook for the future. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the November Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy.
Read More about Farmer Sentiment Drifts Lower As Trade Uncertainty Hangs Over AgricultureChad Fiechter and Todd Kuethe reflect on the conversations that shaped the Purdue Commercial AgCast in 2025 and what those discussions reveal about agriculture moving forward. The episode also previews upcoming changes and what’s ahead for the podcast.
Read More about What We Heard This Year—and Where We’re Going, AgCast 203Machinery investment benchmarks from 2007–2024 show that large crop farms hold a sizable cost advantage. Operations over 2,000 acres consistently invest less per acre—both in machinery ownership and net annual equipment spending—highlighting meaningful economies of scale. Understanding where your farm fits can help guide machinery planning and long-term cost management.
Read More about Crop Machinery Investment