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General Farm Management & Strategy

Are Autonomous Farm Machines Economically Ready Yet?

Are 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.

Financial Stress, Labor Decisions, and Farm Resilience: Tools to Evaluate Your Operation

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.

Grain Market Navigator, Purdue Extension

Feb. 17, 24, & Mar. 3, 10 , 2026

Take the guesswork out of grain
marketing with this hands-on program
designed to help farmers sharpen their
marketing knowledge and confidence.
Through interactive sessions, participants will explore the fundamentals of grain
marketing and gain practical tools to use on their own farms.

Adaptation & Strong Relationships: A Conversation with Ben Brown, AgCast 205

Adaptability 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.

2026 Purdue Top Farmer Conference Recap + Photos

The 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.

Top Farmer Conference 2027

January 8, 2027

A management programs geared specifically for farmers. Surrounded by farm management, farm policy, agricultural finance and marketing experts, and a group of your peers, the conference will stimulate your thinking about agriculture’s future and how you can position your farm to be successful in the years ahead.

Labor Standards

FINBIN 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.

Farmer Sentiment Drifts Lower As Trade Uncertainty Hangs Over Agriculture

November 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.

What We Heard This Year—and Where We’re Going, AgCast 203

Chad 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.

Crop Machinery Investment

Machinery 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.

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General Farm Management & Strategy

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