Rob Johansson

Large farm businesses make up slightly less than half of all U.S. farms, but account for over 90% of the production.  And for those farms for this year, the USDA expects over all next cash income to drop 20%.  That will mark the fourth year in a row of falling farm incomes.   ...

Having other nations slap tariffs on U.S. farm products is never a good thing, but right now, the timing is pretty bad for the farm economy.  USDA Chief Economist Rob Johannson said even without the negative effects on prices caused by the tariffs.   ...

The latest USDA numbers on milk production are in.  July production came in at 18.4 billion pounds, up 0.4% from July 2017.  The dairy herd shrank slightly compared to a year ago, with 8,000 fewer head.  However, milk per cow last month averaged 1,953 pounds, ten pounds more than July of last year.   USDA ...

July is the USDA's first world agricultural supply and demand estimate since China placed tariffs on some American Ag exports, and the second since Mexico issued similar tariffs on U.S. pork products.  And those tariffs were accounted for in the latest WASDE.  US...

Good news for American wheat growers, when taking a look at the most recent USDA reports.     "Improving wheat production in the U.S., declining wheat production in other parts of the globe, contributing to strength in terms of price," USDA Chief Economist Rob Johannson.    ...

Futures markets not only serve as a price discovery tool for commodities, but can also be a measurement of how tariffs will impact products on the open market.  However, for the most part, specialty crops don’t have a futures market.  So, how ...

Usually the March edition of the USDA's round of crop forecasts is pretty dull stuff,not much happening.  But this time, it's not so dull for U.S. corn growers.  First, it continues to be very hot and dry in Argentina, USDA has chopped three million tons off the projected corn crop there.  Also, U...

The nation's farmers and farm economy are not in as bad a shape as back during the farm crisis of the 1980s, but the USDA's chief economist Rob Johansson says there are some troubling trends. Among them, is the increase in farm debt.   "The current levels of debt are approaching the levels we saw back in the 1980s, at more than$400 Billion, with real estate debt to exceed the record of $218 m