commodity prices

The outlook for agricultural retailers is generally favorable for 2023, following a year of record profits in 2022.  However, the sector faces emerging risks that could depress profit margins and challenge traditional business models in the years ahead.  Lower l...

The USDA is forecasting that farm commodity prices will drop in the year ahead and production input costs will stay or even move higher.  For producers, the question is: when/if input prices follow those output prices lower.   “We are forecasting that fertilizer and feed expenses will decline in 2023, yet they will remain high," noted USDA economist Carrie Litkowski. She added expenses for m.

According to the latest USDA Ag prices reports, American producers received almost 10% less price wise for their commodities in total in January.  The 9.7% month-over-month decline in prices received for all producers was the same number indicated for prices within the livestock index.    ...

Will the nation's farm sector generate yet another record amount of net income in 2023 as it's done the last two years?   “No, but the expectation is it will still be an above average year.”   USDA chief economist Seth Meyer told the USDA Outlook Forum last week that he expects net cash farm income this year to be $150.5 billion, which, if ...

Farmers across Washington continue trying to adjust their books as Ag overtime has thrown another wrinkle in the day-to-day operations of farming.  Derek Sandison, Director of the Washington state Department of Agriculture, said in his conversations with producers across the state, the reaction has been mixed.   “...

According to the USDA, farmers on average saw an increase in what they received price wise for their commodities in the final month of 2022.  The increase in USDA's latest agricultural prices report was 3.1% from the previous month and both commodity indexes crop and livestock reported month-over-month increases in what producers received price wise.  The ove...

Thanks to record high input costs and very volatile interest rates, the farm economy can sometimes be difficult to navigate for the most seasoned grower.  But what about for those new to the world of farming?  What does the outlook look like for them?   Jackson Ta...

Look at the USDA’s numbers, and you’ll see that 2022 was far and away a record net farm income year.  But the question on the minds of many in farm county is: will 2023 be a better year?   USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer says the odds are against that happening for a couple of reasons.  First, as he put it, 202...

Bryan Searle says while 2022 was a challenging year thanks to input costs, for Idaho producers the previous year was a good one.  The President of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation says potato, hay and other growers enjoyed really good yields, and strong prices.  But unf...

In its report for ag prices during the month of November, the USDA said the plusses outweighed the minuses.  Resulting in the prices received index going up 4.5%, and jumping 23% when compared to November 2021.  The index of prices paid by farmers to do business showing no increase at all in November that index still 11% higher than a year ago.   When it co...