You're viewing a specific archive. Looking for something and want to search by keyword or just take a general look at ALL our resources? Click Search below!
Search our entire resource library
Finances
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.
Read MoreMargins 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.
Read MoreFarm 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 MoreNew 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.
Read MoreAdding 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 MoreThe Farm Finance Lab tool helps producers use Schedule F tax data and balance sheets to quickly generate financial ratios measuring profitability, liquidity, solvency, and financial efficiency. Users can upload documents or enter values manually, explore interactive gauges, and test scenario changes to better understand financial performance. The tool is free to use and does not store any user data.
Read MoreMichael Langemeier presented at the Fort Wayne Farm Show on January 14, 2026, on crop net returns prospects and the farmland market.
Read MoreIn December, the Center for Commercial Agriculture launched Trends in the U.S. Farm Balance Sheet, a new interactive data visualization built on USDA Economic Research Service farm income and wealth statistics. The tool highlights long-run trends in farm assets, debt, and equity—allowing users to explore changes by asset type, debt category, and lender, while also tracking key financial ratios over time. State-level farm real estate values are mapped, and every chart and dataset can be downloaded for further analysis. As balance sheet conditions continue to evolve, this tool provides a clear, data-driven way to monitor financial strength across U.S. agriculture.
Read MoreTight margins often trigger cost-cutting decisions, but not all cuts improve profitability. This article explains how marginal analysis can help producers evaluate fertilizer, seed, and seeding rate decisions to protect returns when prices are low.
Read MoreMachinery 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