Farmer Sentiment

Farmers are a little unsure of the ag economy right now. Farmer sentiment weakened in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell to 146.

Farmer sentiment improved last month as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed eight points in April to a reading of 148.  The improvement in farmers’ sentiment was bolstered by increases in both the Index of Current Conditions, which rose nine points to 141, and the Index of Future Expectations, which rose eight points to 152.  Dr. Michael L...

Farmer sentiment dropped during March as concerns over agricultural trade and farm policy weighed on producers’ outlook for the future.  The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, released last week, fell 12 points to 140, down from 152 in February.  The Index saw...

Regardless of your commodity, farming in Washington is very challenging right now.  Rosella Mosby, President of the Washington Farm Bureau said unfortunately, farmers across the Evergreen state are very discouraged.   “You know, markets haven't been great for a lot of folks and we have overtime in Washington state, so we're all dealing with that adjustment. Feeling pretty, you know...

For the 17th time in the last 18 months, the Rural Mainstreet Index dropped below 50 in February.  That’s from the monthly survey of bank CEOs across a ten-state region reliant on agriculture and energy.   The index plummeted from 42.3 in January to 38 i...

U.S. farmers retained their post-election optimistic outlook to kick off 2025.  The January Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index rose five points above December to 141  The barometer’s rise was primarily attributed to a nine-point rise in the Current Conditions Index.  The increase in th...

The January 2025 Rural Mainstreet Index fell below growth neutral for the 16th time in the past 17 months.   For the eighth time in the past nine months, farmland prices took a tumble.  On average, bank CEOs who responded to the monthly survey expect annual cash rents of $278 per acre of non-irrigated, non-pasture farmland.  Farm equipme...

Farmer sentiment drifted lower in December as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped 9 points to a reading of 136.   The decline was driven by producers’ weaker perspective on current conditions in U.S. agriculture and their farms, with the Index of Current Conditions falling 13 points to 100.  Although the ...

Farmers are feeling more confident about the ag economy.  The November Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbing 30 points to a reading of 145.  This marked the highest level of farmer optimism since May 2021, driven by considerable gains in both the Current Conditions and Future Expectations indices.  The Future Expect...

Farmer sentiment saw an unexpected surge in October just ahead of the 2024 general election.  The latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose to 115, marking a 27-point increase from September.   This boost in sentiment was primarily driven by a rise in producers' confidence in the future, with the Future Expectations Index jumping 30 points to 124.  While the Cu...